Hold onto your hats, there will be a season 2 of animated series The Legend of Korra . Beyond The Trailer host chatted with actor PJ Byrne who offers up his insider knowledge on a slew of Korra trivia and even found out during his conversation he’s allowed to say there is a second season of the show. He got the OK from a publicist standing nearby and continues to say “a lot happens,” but then he gets a gesture from the handler to say no more… All good, Byrne gives his take on the character he voices, Bolin and the Korra, Mado, Bolin love-triangle (things are apparently complicated). Back in the non-animated world, Byrne notes that he moves around a lot when working the sound booth voicing his character “with a lot of grunting and a lot of jumping around…” He also talks about working with his co-stars and their interaction when at the studio and more…
Richard D. “Dick” Zanuck, a scion of old Hollywood who produced blockbusters like Jaws and such Oscar-friendly fare as Driving Miss Daisy , died today after suffering a heart attack. He was 77. Zanuck took the production reins of 20th Century Fox — which his legendary father Darryl had helped bring to prominence before him — by the time he was 28. He would later team with partner David Brown to shepherd the work of Steven Spielberg to prominence before working with a deep roster of filmmakers including Sidney Lumet ( The Verdict ), Ron Howard ( Cocoon ) and frequent collaborator Tim Burton. Zanuck is survived by his wife Lili Fini Zanuck (with whom he shared Best Picture Oscar honors for Driving Miss Daisy ) and sons Harrison and Dean. [ Deadline ]
Jodie Foster returns to the screen – and to sci-fi – in next spring’s Elysium , the latest from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. Speaking with Movieline today at her first-ever Comic-Con , Foster described the dystopian future of the film, in which she plays a methodical bureaucrat controlling the “border” of an artificially-created space station (a character now named Delacourt – so take note, internet ). The movie-loving polymath also waxed ecstatic about her one-time Panic Room co-star Kristen Stewart, Beasts of the Southern Wild , and her current obsession: HBO’s True Blood . Elysium takes place in a future in which overpopulation has driven the privileged to take up residence on a man-made space station while the poor remain on Earth; contrary to early reports, Foster says her character is named Minister Delacourt, a government official of French descent committed to keeping the “have-nots” out of paradise. There’s been some secrecy surrounding Elysium’s plot, but we now have a synopsis and some additional hints at what to expect. How would you now describe the film and what it’s really about? In the future, the haves and have nots have become more polarized; there are fewer and fewer haves and more “nots,” and the Earth has devolved. A few incredibly rich and powerful people have created their own habitat. It’s about the battle between those two worlds. Your character could be described as the antagonist of Elysium , correct? Yeah, she’s the antagonist. She’s the minister, she’s the person who controls who gets to come in and who doesn’t. She’s methodical, her antagonism has a point. Where is she coming from? She’s French! I speak a little French in there. This is an international place, obviously – there are people that come from all over the earth to be there. It does harken a bit back to the European history and this idea that there was something worth holding onto, something in our past and aristocratic past with class distinctions. She’s very hell bent on saying there’s a lot about the way that it was that’s better than it is now. Between the imagery that we’ve seen and the themes within Elysium it seems to be of a piece with Neill’s previous film, District 9 . Yeah, it has a grittiness to it – more than half, I think 70 percent of the movie has this incredible grittiness, this romantic degradation. Did you get to immerse yourself very much in that on set given that your character is more of a bureaucrat? I’m in the polished world! Our world is very sterile and very inorganic. They’re trying to create a fake organic habitat, but it’s not organic. There’s a bit of viral marketing on the Comic-Con convention floor in the guise of a futuristic Elysium border agent. What issues does Elysium address in its undercurrent of social commentary? Immigration’s a big one. There’s increasing class separation in the world – what’s to become of the Earth when we’ve destroyed our planet, and where are we going to go after that? What initially sold you on this project and this role when you first spoke with Neill? It’s a great script, and him, honestly. I think he’s an incredibly talented director, and a lot of it is conscious but a lot of it is unconscious, too. I think he’s at this really interesting place in his life where he’s old enough and experienced enough to know how to tell the story, but also young enough to understand that there are things that he cares about that he doesn’t entirely understand. The fact that Secretary Rhodes is a woman – Her name is Delacourt now! They changed it. Minister Delacourt. The press kit must be wrong! Are you telling me that everything you read on the internet is not necessarily true? That’s right! Shocking! So, Delacourt – she’s a woman, and the main antagonist here, which is in itself a rarity. Do you feel that the genre world allows for more progressive characterizations of women? I don’t know about that. I’m not sure that’s true. Was the character always written as a woman? It pretty much was. I mean, that’s an interesting idea. But I think genre films, because they have to, usually paint things much more in black and white, whether it’s women or not women, because the storytelling in ways is a lot more primitive. If you look at recent films for example, you see a string of big-screen heroine tales – Kristen Stewart as Snow White, for example. Which I loved! I loved it. To be so bold and so emotional, I just thought she was terrific. They were both great; Charlize Theron was fantastic. I really loved it, and I did not expect to like it. I didn’t think I was going to care, but it really got me. Do you get out to see movies much? Yeah, I go with my kids. I see all the big ones with my kids, but the smaller ones I tend to see on the small screen. I just went to see this movie yesterday that’s just unbelievable called Beasts of the Southern Wild . It’s a life-changing movie. Talk about complexity. That whole ending part, I loved it. I loved her. That’s another recent film revolving around a young heroine – add that to Snow White and The Hunger Games and they’re all stories about young women following the hero’s journey as the Chosen One. That’s right, and that’s always been the domain of men. I remember feeling that about Silence of the Lambs ; you look at that character and it’s a quintessential archetypal character. The young boy has to go find the panacea and they have to go through the Forest of Experience and meet gnomes and demons along the way and then slay them, and then he finds out in some way the things he didn’t know about himself were actually the demons that he had to slay… it’s always been reserved for men, and that’s changing. When you look at Hunger Games , there’s a lot to like, but I will say the thing I liked the most about The Hunger Games was seeing a woman in the number 1 point of view as the protagonist who changes and finds her strength, who you’re rooting for, and who saves the men – it’s fantastic. I’m so happy for her. A few years ago there was word that you wanted to make your own science fiction film. It didn’t work out! I do lots of things and develop lots of movies that don’t get made. It’s hard making personal films and the kinds of movies I like to make – very verbal, intelligent films – are hard to get off the ground. Because we’re here at Comic-Con where fandom is celebrated, are there any geek properties that you’re way, way into? I love True Blood . Are you into vampire stories in general? I like them all – zombies, all those stories. I just like A) that he does it with humor and that the writing is so good, and I think the characters are so fantastic. I just love them. Elysium hits theaters March 1, 2013. Read more from Comic-Con 2012 here. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Hip hop artist RZA can now add “film director” to his already impressive resume. The co-founder of the Wu-Tang Clan completed his first feature, the action pic The Man with the Iron Fists , in which he appears along with Jamie Chung, Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Dave Bautista and more. RZA says Comic-Con itself inspired him by “coming across great art and lots of life.” He also gives his take on Quentin Tarantino (RZA scored Kill Bill ) who inspired him to make movie set in feudal China. Written by Eli Roth and RZA, the story revolves around a blacksmith who makes weapons for a small village and finds himself having to defend himself and his fellow villagers. Beyond the Trailer host Grace Randolph chats with RZA at Comic-Con who gives insight on how the movie got made and what kind of director he wants to be.
Twilight has been credited with really putting Comic-Con on the map, or if it was on the map already, then it put the massive fanboy (and girl) genre-action-science-fiction-nerd-bonanza front and center in mid-July pop culture. But now the franchise is complete, but the cast came out en force to promote the film (not that it should have much problem luring adoring audiences and their cash). At the event, Beyond The Trailer host Grace Randolph speaks with the stars including Taylor Lautner who gives his personal feelings about Jacob and Robert Pattinson who offers up his view on whether his character has redefined “prince charming.” And of course, there’s Kristen Stewart, aka Vampire Bella. The actress tells what she thinks about the un-dead version of her character and what she thought of her before reading Breaking Dawn . Randolph also speaks with Ashley Greene about villains, and looking quite the adorable young star, Mackenzie Randolph shares insight on Renesmee. Check out the latest Twilight goings-on from the red carpet…
Women are an undeniable force in pop entertainment, both in the audience and behind the scenes, as the annual GIRLS GONE GENRE panel at Comic-Con attests. So what is the state of storytelling for women creatives working (and, frankly, kicking ass ) today? Why is the genre world such fertile ground for female storytellers and strong, complex female characters? Join me as I moderate a panel of all-stars from TV and film — Marti Noxon ( Buffy , Angel , Fright Night ), Jane Espenson ( Battlestar Galactica , Torchwood ), Deborah Ann Woll ( True Blood ), Angela Robinson ( True Blood, D.E.B.S. ) and Gale Anne Hurd ( The Walking Dead , The Terminator ) — today at Comic-Con. Details after the jump! Genre entertainment has historically been a man’s world on and off-screen, but these writers, directors, producers, showrunners, and performers have established themselves by bringing compelling characters and stories to audiences hungry for good storytelling, no matter their gender. From Sarah Connor to Buffy Summers to Starbuck and beyond, our panelists have helped shape some of the strongest female screen icons and the most compelling TV and film properties of the past few decades, and I couldn’t be more honored or excited to be a part of this conversation. If you’re at Comic-Con, join us today from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in Room 7AB in the San Diego Convention Center, and stay tuned for a recap of our discussion… Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Years before Dorothy Gale plopped down in Oz right on top of that mean old stripey-footed wicked witch, a man — not just any man, but James Franco — accidentally found himself in the magical land, blown into a world of Technicolor whirlygigs and CG fairies by Sam Raimi. I mean, by a tornado. But as Raimi (along with surprise guests Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis ) explained to the crowded Hall H audience Thursday at Comic-Con, his Oz won’t have that much to do with the 1939 classic; for starters, those ruby slippers? Nowhere to be found. “It’s the story of a selfish man. A bit of a lothario, a bit of a cad, not a great guy at first,” explained Raimi of the fame and fortune-hungry Oscar Diggs (Franco), the small-time magician at the center of the Oz prequel. After landing in Oz and meeting three witches — Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams) — Diggs uses his illusionist skills to pass himself off as a long-fabled wizard. As in THE wizard. Of Oz. The script (credited to writers Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire) culls information directly from L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, but because of rights issues the ruby slippers made famous by Judy Garland could not be reprised in Oz . Not only that, the film won’t feature the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, or the Cowardly Lion. No matter; Raimi’s got plenty else to keep you occupied, even if the first teaser (see below) is a tad underwhelming. Snatches of action and looks at the glam trio of witches feel Raimi-esque, and yet the entire thing feels as if the Evil Dead director were let loose with a few too many green screens in a CG sandbox. The world of Oz looks startlingly like Alice in Wonderland . (Producer Joe Roth also worked on Alice , not to mention Snow White and the Huntsman .) Synopsis: Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well. Oz: the Great and Powerful hits theaters on March 8, 2013. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Though The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn director Bill Condon was absent this year from Comic-Con , (he was off finishing the November release but pre-taped tidings), he sent in his stead stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, over two dozen cast members, Stephenie Meyer, and new footage for the thousands of attendees in Hall H Thursday morning that included a slew of fan-pleasing moments – Bella Swan devouring a mountain lion among them. But while Breaking Dawn ’s bright, well-paced clips (including the first seven minutes of the film) impressed, a surprise screening of footage from The Host – Meyer’s other fantasy-sci-fi-romance YA lit adaptation –confused viewers, indicating an uphill battle ahead for distributor Open Road. The good news for Summit is that sharing the first seven minutes of Breaking Dawn – beginning with newly turned Bella (Kristen Stewart) awakening into her bright new vampire future – was a smart move; not only did it drive fans into a tizzy, it highlighted how the Saga and its heroine have matured since previous installments. For starters, Breaking Dawn Part 2 boasts a new and improved Bella – strong, sensual, and utterly confident. No longer the self-conscious, maladroit teenager who spent much of the previous four films worrying/being rescued by/pining over her vampire beau Edward Cullen, Bella awakens at the start of Breaking Dawn Part 2 in full vampire mode (and very, very hungry). Condon speeds adeptly through her initial adjustment at a brisk pace, allowing for a few generous moments of languorous caresses and canoodling with Edward, who coos, “We’re the same temperature now.” (Cue collective Hall H swoon.) Suspense kicks in on Bella’s first hunt; she’s tempted by the delicious whiff of a lone mountain climber, but stops herself in time, instead finding her first meal in an unlucky mountain lion. Returning home with a proud Edward, she encounters old bestie/third wheel Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), but he’s changed, too; “imprinting” on your crush’s infant will do that to a guy. Onetime rivals Jacob and Edward even have a moment together as Bella heads in to meet her newborn daughter for the first time, unaware of what’s transpired while she’s been vampirizing. And thus ends the first seven minutes of the film , which are gorgeously photographed, to boot. A second clip showcased what a difference Condon’s made with his actors. Having been rendered at times cardboard-like by other directors, the cast comes alive, so to speak, in a scene in which the Cullen family teaches Bella how to pass as a human now that super strength and speed – not to mention not having to breathe or blink anymore – have turned her into a blood-sucking bull in a china shop. Stewart in particular shows off her comic side, playing Bella’s preternatural mannerisms with a nuanced sense of humor. She’s matured as a performer, but more to the point, Vampire Bella is simply a better fit for her talents – bold, feline, and assured, she’s the antithesis of Twilight’s Bella Swan, which is really the point of Breaking Dawn and the end game that many critics of the character didn’t grasp with previous sequels. Vampire Bella is who Bella Swan was born to become, and Breaking Dawn ’s final Comic-Con visit drove that point home. Less successful, however, was the clip package presented by surprise guest Andrew Niccol, who’d only recently wrapped filming on the sci-fi adaptation. Based on Meyer’s Twilight follow-up novel, The Host stars Saoirse Ronan as a human named Melanie Stryder in an alternate future in which alien body-snatchers have taken over the majority of the world, possessing their human hosts while attempting to squeeze out the last remaining pockets of resistance. Ronan plays both Stryder and her alien “soul,” Wanderer, who now dominates the body they share. Still following? The Host footage opens as Wanderer awakens in Melanie’s body – glowing blue eyes indicate the converted Ronan, who’s tasked with ferreting out information from Melanie’s memories (including one watery make-out flashback between Ronan and Max Irons’ Jared, shot like a Nicholas Sparks romance). But Melanie’s spirit is so strong she’s still inside her own brain, shouting at her alien parasite via interior monologue. That all works better than it sounds, but then comes the complicated plot to muddle things up as Wanderer is captured by humans. By the time the reel ended with a car chase and stand-off between two rebel-driven trucks and their alien overlords, the crowd had grown restless, pouring disinterestedly out of Hall H. And all without even touching on film’s love quadrangle between Melanie, Wanderer, and their dueling boyfriends! So suffice to say there’s a steep Host learning curve the studio needs to address for non-fans of the book ahead of the film’s March 2013 release. Niccol creates a clear-enough dystopian world onscreen (earthy Western-like settings for the human resistance, sleek high-tech trappings for the aliens), but none of that will matter if audiences don’t understand what the heck they’re looking at. Read more from Comic-Con 2012. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Robert Pattinson weighed in on the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon today at Comic-Con … with an obvious reference to the erotic novel’s sexiness. When questioned during the Breaking Dawn: Part 2 panel, he and Kristen Stewart were mum on whether or not they’ve read the sex-filled bestseller. If presented with a copy, however, he knows just what he would do. “I would just sit there and lick the pages,” Pattinson said in San Diego, adding, “What are we live on?” realizing his response would gain attention. Stewart on the other hand, was less upbeat about the topic. When asked if she reads the novel in a book club with Pattinson and fellow Twilight star Taylor Lautner, she said simply, “That would be disgusting.” Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have been mentioned as possible leads in the Fifty Shades of Grey movie , however unlikely that may seem. The risque text is loosely based on their Twilight characters; Pattinson and Stewart have also been dating in real life for several years at this point. While no mention of the pair’s off-screen romance came into question today, R-Patt did address the topic of smooching his on- and off-screen love. “She always just kissed me and I’d always be like …” Pattinson said, holding up his head and puckering his lips, while referring to winning best kiss with Stewart in Breaking Dawn: Part 1 at the recent MTV Movie Awards. “I just receive … I just receive pecks.” Good to know, R-Patt. Good to know. 50 Shades of Grey movie: Will you see it? [Photo: Fame/Flynet]
Also in Thursday morning’s round-up of news briefs, DreamWorks Animation will lend its characters to a new theme park; director Joe Cornish is set to adapt a robot comic-book; James Cameron takes his mini 3-D camera to L.A.’s X Games and China cracks down even harder on internet movie and video content. Darren Aronofsky Tweets a Noah Teaser The Black Swan director tweeted what presumably looks like construction of the ark that carried all life forms to safety from the earthly flood. He said: I dreamt about this since I was 13. And now it’s a reality. Genesis 6:14 #noah: http://t.co/QLaIuqXh. The film is slated for release in Spring 2014. Around the ‘net… DreamWorks Animation Theme Park Heads to New Jersey DreamWorks Animation will bring its movie characters to a planned in-door amusement park in the New Jersey Meadowlands, ten miles west of New York City, Deadline reports . Fangirls Fuel Comic-Con Growth Long lines of women camped out to get into the Twilight panel. The movie has increased attendance to around 40%, which has resulted in Hollywood sending over more femme-friendly fare, Variety reports . Joe Cornish to Direct Graphic Novel Rust Attack the Block director Joe Cornish is set to adapt Royden Lepp’s comic-book robot on the prairies story Rust for 20th Century Fox. Fox’s synopsis reads: “”Life on the Taylor family farm was difficult enough before Jet Jones crashes into the barn, chased by a giant decommissioned war robot!” The Guardian reports . James Cameron Debuts Ultra-Mini 3-D Camera at X Games Cameron used the camera in March when he explored the Mariana Trench and is now taking the device to ESPN’s X Games in Los Angeles, THR reports . Internet Content Faces More Chinese Scrutiny A new push by Chinese regulators will force internet video providers to pre-screen programming including drama series and mini-movies before they’re posted, Deadline reports via A.P.
