Warner Bros Confirm Entourage Movie
The long rumored big screen version of HBO’s popular TV series Entourage is officially a reality. Warner Bros have given the go ahead to series creator Doug Ellin to direct the project based on his own script.
The popular series followed the adventures of fictional movie star Vincent Chase and his ‘entourage’ of friends, as they navigated the perk and perils of Hollywood superstardom. Often seen as an obvious male equivalent to Sex And The City, the series delved into the extravagant excesses of LA parties and a seemingly endless parade of desirable women. The show also boasted an enviable array of celebrity cameos.
As for what’s in store for the new movie, it’s expected that the film will pick up with the boys 6 months after the events of the last episode in the final 8th series which aired in 2011. Doug Ellin hasn’t confirmed any specific plot details yet but has reassured fans that the gang are “still hanging out and going to fun parties”.
The series regulars are yet to officially sign on, but it seems unlikely any of them would turn down the chance to take the show to a whole new level of life imitating art… finally making a movie about a fake movie star making movies.
Cobie Smulders Set For S.H.I.E.L.D .TV Series
How I Met Your Mother star Cobie Smulders who played special agent Maria Hill in The Avengers is in talks about reprising the character in the new spin-off S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series.
Despite her on-going role in How I Met Your Mother the beautiful sitcom star has confirmed in a recent interview that it wouldn’t prevent her having some kind of involvement in the new Marvel TV series as well.
“The commitments to [How I Met Your Mother] don’t affect it, and I can’t really say but there are definite talks about it.”
Her character proved a popular addition to the superhero team in the recent billion dollar box office hit and her involvement in the new series would arguably go a long way towards giving the series a real connection with the film franchise.
Some fans had expressed initial concerns that there’s a danger the series could feel like a poor cousin to the Marvel film’s; with the involvement of familiar characters like Iron man, Captain America or Thor looking unlikely.
Although lacking in superpowers, Maria Hill is one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top agents and the pistol wielding sidekick to Samuel L.Jackson’s ultimate super-spy Nick Fury. Evidently Smulders is as excited as fans about reprising the role:
“Oh yeah! I’m very excited. I will do Maria Hill until they fire me and hire someone else to do it.”
Peter Farrelly Defends Movie 43 Against Critics
Peter Farrelly the producer of recent flop ensemble comedy Movie 43 has come out fighting against the fierce savaging the film received at the hands of critics. Many well know critics have labelled the cinematic collection of comedy sketches as one the worst films as all time and ‘the Citizen Kane of Awful”.
Now Producer Peter, one half of the Farrelly Brothers team that most notably made There’s Something About Mary, has spoken out on Twitter. Here’s what he had to say below:
To the critics: Movie 43 is not the end of the world. It’s just a $6-million movie where we tried to do something different. Now back off… You always complain that Hollywood never gives you new stuff, and then when you get it, you flip out, … Lighten Up
Thanks in part to the storm of negative press the film has opened very poorly in America and the UK, barely making an impression in the box office top ten despite its impressive a-list cast.
Given the sheer collection of star power involved it seemed Movie 43 would have proved an inevitable box office draw. Halle Berry, Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, Richard Gere, Johnny Knoxville, Emma Stone, Seth MacFarlane, Elizabeth Banks and Gerard Butler all feature in small roles, alongside a host of other familiar faces.
The film’s box office failure may be partly due to the universally poor reviews, but that hasn’t stopped other atrocious blockbusters from taking hundreds of millions of dollars despite critics’ abuse and public warnings.
In truth the real problem for Movie 43 is the internet. With free sites like Funny or Die providing hours of celebrity packed comedy skits on a daily basis, this film doesn’t have anywhere near the novelty value it would have done 10 years ago.
Whilst the experiment in bringing this format to the big screen has technically made money, it has also probably confirmed that people would rather watch this kind of material on their computers whilst pretending to work, rather than wasting one of their rare trips to the cinema on it.
Justice League Movie Depends On Man Of Steel Success
Warner Bros long delayed Justice League movie is already set for release in 2015 with a script currently in the works from Gangster Squad writer Will Beall, however production may now be dependent on the success of upcoming Superman reboot Man Of Steel, which opens on June 14th.
With the disastrous box office failure of previous DC Comics adaptation Green Lantern weighing on their minds, it’s hardly surprising that the studio is cautious about gambling a huge investment on an ensemble superhero movie.
Fellow Justice League members The Flash, Aquaman and Wonder Woman likewise all haven’t had successful stand-alone movies yet. Wonder Woman in particular even failed to succeed in returning to the small screen, with attempts for a new TV series floundering badly.
As the best known members, it was always expected that Superman and Batman would be seen as leading box office draws for a Justice League film, so of course the reaction to the latest version of Superman could make or break plans for Justice League.
Warner Bros’ Justice League ambitions have in truth always seemed slightly ill-advised and a little like a kneejerk reaction to the astonishing success Marvel have had bringing it’s collected comicbook universe to life, culminating with the $1billion Avengers box office smash.
Although given Henry Cavil’s chiselled features and the involvement of Zack Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan; it is likely Man of Steel will be a decisive box office success and reinvigorate the studios enthusiasm for even more ambitious superhero projects.
Doctor Strange & Ant-Man For Marvel Phase 3
Marvel studio head Kevin Feige has spoken about the long delayed Ant-Man movie currently being made by Scott Pilgrim & Shaun Of The Dead Director Edgar Wright and has confirmed that Doctor Strange is the next of the less familiar Marvel character to be finding their way to the big screen.
Speaking first about the Ant-Man project that was actually a result of an enthusiastic approach from Edgar Wright at comic con in 2004, Feige explained:
“It’s very much an Ant-Man origin movie from the perspective of Edgar Wright and his co-writer Joe Cornish (but) it’s certainly set in the Marvel Universe. Ant-Man is definitely part of Phase Three.”
Expanding on the news that Doctor Strange will also be getting his own film as part of Phase Three, Feige continued:
“He’s a great, original character, and he checks the box off this criteria that I have. He’s totally different from anything else we have, just like Guardians of the Galaxy.He’s totally different from anything we’ve done before, as is Ant-Man, which keeps us excited.”
Before that though Marvel has the small matter of Iron Man 3 Captain America 2, Thor The Dark World, Guardians of The Galaxy and Avengers 2 to deal with.