Benedict Cumberbatch Star Wars Rumours Grow

The enthusiastic but questionably reliable Latino Review is once again claiming to have news of exciting Star Wars Episode VII casting. This time they’re reporting that  Benedict Cumberbatch and Saoirse Ronan are both in various stages of joining the cast of J.J. Abrams Star Wars sequel.

Reports claim that Saoirse Ronan has already had a meeting to read for an undisclosed role and that Cumberbatch likewise will extraordinarily re-unite with his Star Trek Into Darkness director for a role in the new Star Wars franchise. The confident article even asserts that while the Sherlock stars role in Episode VII may be fairy small, he will in fact go on to have an expanded presence in the rest of the new trilogy of Star Wars films.

Saoirse Ronan recently contradicted widely reported claims she’d actually turned down a role in Avengers sequel Age of Ultron whilst talking to Red Carpet News, so it’s sensible to treat these new reports with healthy Jedi caution. Time will tell if any of these assertions are based on more than enthusiastic speculation and a calculated desire to grab some easy fangirl internet traffic…

J.J. Abrams Wants Authentic Star Wars Sequel

Director J.J. Abrams has spoken to Entertainment Weekly about his Disney backed reboot of the Star Wars franchise, insisting that while the tone of Episode VII is still “an evolving thing”  that he is nevertheless “working really hard to make a movie that feels as emotional and authentic and exciting as possible”.  

Sharing his own recollections of the beloved original Star Wars Trilogy the director added:

“I remember reading a thing somewhere, someone wrote about just wanting [the new film] to feel real; to feel authentic. I remember I felt that way when I was 11 years old when I saw the first one. As much of a fairy tale as it was, it felt real. And to me, that is exactly right.”

Presumably these comments are the first tentative step towards reassuring fans that Abrams is looking to learn from the CGI fuelled mistakes of the much derided  Star Wars pre-quels, restoring both credibility and tactile magic to the once proud space saga. May the force be with him……

Kelsey Grammer Joining The Expendables 3

The Expandables 3 has added yet another name to it’s ever growing cast in the somewhat unlikely form of Frasier star Kelsey Grammer. The TV sitcom and X-Men 3 star will reportedly be playing Bonaparte, an ex-mercenary who helps the Expandables on their mission.

The role was rumored to have been intended for Nicolas Cage but as the star recently confirmed to Red Carpet News at the London premiere of The Frozen Ground, he won’t be involved in the next aging action stars adventure.

The new film has already added Harrison Ford and Antonio Banderas alongside the usual musclebound macho majesty of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

We spoke to Antonio Banderas recently about his experiences filming and providing comic relief as the Expendables latest ally Matador. Check out the interview below:

UK Jewish Film Festival 2013 Launch

The 17th annual UK Jewish Film Festival revealed its full programme yesterday at a press launch in Soho attended by guests including filmmaker/comedian Jes Benstock and comedian Arnold Brown.

Running from 30 October – 17 November 2013, the festival will feature screenings of over 80 films and other special events across five cities – London, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.  53 of the films will be UK premieres, hailing from countries including Argentina, Israel, USA, UK, Germany, France and the Czech Republic.

Please see here for the exciting festival programme: ukjewishfilm.org/   

UKJF also launches, in its 17th year, a new VOD channel, sponsored by Think Jam:www.ukjewishfilm.org/films/video-on-demand/

At the press launch, Festival Founder & Executive Director Judy Ironside MBE introduced some of the highlights of the festival including the UK premiere of the dazzling new comedy Blumenthal from New York writer/director Seth Fisher starring actor Brian Cox CBE. (Both will attend Festival screening for Q&A – 6 Nov, Phoenix Cinema, 20:45)

Other highlights include the UK premiere of the award-winning US documentary Joe Papp In Five Acts, a portrait of the legendary New York theatre producer Joe Papp.  The screening will be followed by a discussion, with actor Zoe Wanamaker CBE & director Tracie Holder (14 Nov, Barbican, 18:15), on A New Democratic Theatre For The UK.

Comedian and filmmaker Jes Benstock was at the launch warming up the audience for his special Festival Comedy Event to be presented with Scottish Jewish comedian Arnold Brown, and a host of witty friends including Miriam Margolyes, Bill Paterson, David Schneider and Helen Lederer.

Other guests attending the festival will include the esteemed Lord Michael Grade who will speak after Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy (13 Nov, Barbican, 18:15); award-winning French director Ilan Duran Cohen who will be opening the festival with his gripping historical drama The Jewish Cardinal (30 Oct, BFI, 20:30); Czech writer/director David Ondricek presenting his debut feature In the Shadow (2 Nov, Tricycle, 19:00); and Israeli film director Eytan Fox who will close the festival on a high note with his heart-warming musical comedy Cupcakes (17 Nov, Tricycle 19:45).

Other festival highlights include the UK Premiere of thriller Wakolda (5 Nov, Tricycle, 21:00), the new film from award-winning Argentinean director Lucia Puenzo; the Tribeca award-winning Israeli drama Room 514 (3 Nov, Tricycle, 20:30); and an Exclusive Preview of The Congress (10 Nov, Odeon Swiss Cottage Imax Screen, 21:00), Ari Folman’s impressive follow-up to Waltz with Bashir.

Judy Ironside MBE, Festival Founder & Executive Director spoke exclusively to Red Carpet News about what’s in store for this year’s festival:

Tickets for the festival are now on sale on at www.ukjewishfilm.org/

 

Aaron Eckhart Joins Horror Incarnate

Insidious producer Jason Blum is set to revisit similar supernatural material with new film Incarnate.  Based on a script by Dark Tide screenwriter Ronnie Christensen the film will follow an unconventional exorcist who is able to tap into the subconscious of the possessed.

Aaron Eckhart this time will take the lead in efforts to rescue a young boy from the clutches of evil supernatural forces that will again lurk just at the edge of frame. Brad Peyton will direct, having previously given us the impressively terrifying Journey 2 The Mysterious Island and Cats& Dogs The Revenge of Kitty Galore.

Speaking of unavoidable sequels, Producer Blum also recently confirmed plans for Insidious Chapter 3, inspired by the rampant box office success of Chapter 2 of the lucrative low budget horror ‘franchise.