Category Archives: Movie Adaptations

Judy Greer Cast in Jurassic World

Leave a reply

jurassic_world_logo-629x353

One of my favorite people in existance, Judy Greer, has been cast in the upcoming film, Jurassic World. The fourth installment in the “Jurassic Park” franchise will be directed by Colin Trevorrow, most known for his work on another science fiction film, Safety Not Guaranteed. 

Greer is most known for her roles in comedy shows such as Kitty in “Arrested Development” and Cheryl/Carol in “Archer.” She has also recently been cast in a few other upcoming blockbusters,  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Tomorrowland.

Her role in Jurassic World has not been revealed. However, she will be starring alongside Christ Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, Jake Johnson, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy, and BD Wong returning as Dr. Henry Wu. Vincent D’Onofrio will reportedly be playing the villain.

 Trevorrow is keeping the story tightly under wraps, and has been cagey about sharing even details of some principle characters. In a recent interview with IGN, he noted that Pratt’s character will have a scientific connection to the dinosaur experiments, and serves as a foil for Howard’s more buttoned-down type. 

More details about the plot and characters are likely to come out over the next few months while the project moves into production.

Amy Adams Eyed For Role In “Story of Your Life”

Leave a reply

cover

The upcoming science fiction film, “Story of Your Life” may be adding Amy Adams to the cast. The actress is reportedly in talks with director Denis Villeneuve according to Deadline.

The film is based on the award-winning short story of the same name by Ted Chiang. “Story of Your Life” is said to be a mind-bending science fiction thriller where in the aftermath of aliens land around the globe, a linguist is recruited by the US government in a race to decipher their intentions on Earth.

The script was written by Eric Heisserer, who is also executive producing. FilmNation Entertainment, in partnership with Lava Bear Films, is financing, producing and handling worldwide sales for the project. The producers are 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy and Dan Levine along with FilmNation and Lava Bear.

There is no word yet on when the studio is planning to release the film in theaters or any other actors attached to the project.

Adam McKay to Adapt and Direct “The Big Short”

Leave a reply

lewis-big-short

“The Big Short,” the acclaimed novel by Michael Lewis is on its way to the big screen. Paramount Pictures and Plan B have announced their plans to adapt the novel with writer/director Adam McKay has come aboard to both adapt and direct the project.

The novel, “The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine,” is a bestseller about the housing and credit bubble of the 2000’s.

“Michael Lewis has the amazing ability to take complex formulas and concepts and turn them into page turners. Plan B and I connected over that breathless quality the book has. Very excited to jump into this,” said McKay.

Adam Goodman, Paramount Film Group President, said,

“I am so excited as this project marks my third collaboration with Adam McKay – a tremendously talented filmmaker and one of my favorite storytellers.”

The film will be produced by Paramount and Brad Pitt’s Plan B. Pitt previously starred in and produced Lewis’ Moneyball, which earned an Academy Award-nomination for Best Picture.

There is currently no word on who the studio is eyeing to star in the film or a projected release date.

Warner Bros. Acquires The First Phone Call From Heaven

Leave a reply

17888952

Mitch Albom’s recently released novel, “The First Phone Call From Heaven” has been optioned for the big screen by Warner Bros. Denise DiNovi will is attached to produce the big screen adaptation, which has not yet named a screenwriter.

The novel was initially published in November. It is described as follows:

One morning in the small town of Coldwater, Michigan, the phones start ringing. The voices say they are calling from heaven. Is it the greatest miracle ever? Or some cruel hoax? As news of these strange calls spreads, outsiders flock to Coldwater to be a part of it.

At the same time, a disgraced pilot named Sully Harding returns to Coldwater from prison to discover his hometown gripped by “miracle fever.” Even his young son carries a toy phone, hoping to hear from his mother in heaven.

As the calls increase, and proof of an afterlife begins to surface, the town—and the world—transform. Only Sully, convinced there is nothing beyond this sad life, digs into the phenomenon, determined to disprove it for his child and his own broken heart.

Moving seamlessly between the invention of the telephone in 1876 and a world obsessed with the next level of communication, Mitch Albom takes readers on a breathtaking ride of frenzied hope.

There is no word yet on when the studio is eyeing to release the film or who will star in the lead roles. You can check out a trailer for the book itself in the player below:

Ant-Man Targets Corey Stoll for Mystery Role

Leave a reply

esq-stoll-0113-xlg-64254668

Poor pawn Peter Russo, also known as Corey Stoll, has joined a mystery role in the upcoming Marvel film, Ant-Man. He’ll join Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas for the July 17, 2015 release with Evangeline Lilly, Michael Pena and Patrick Wilson also still in talks to form the cast.

Stoll recently starred in the first season of the Netflix Original Series, “House of Cards.” He is also well-known for big screen roles in projects like The Bourne Legacy, Salt and Midnight in Paris.

Ant-Man is set to begin production shortly in George. It is directed by Edgar Wright who also co-wrote the script with Joe Cornish. The film, which is supposed to launch “Phase Three” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will follow Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s May 1, 2015 release.

George R.R. Martin Wants to End “Game of Thrones” on the Big Screen

Leave a reply

A-Song-of-Ice-and-Fire-Volumes-1-5-Box-Set

“A Song of Ice and Fire” author George R.R. Martin recently told the Hollywood Reporter that there are currently discussions to end the HBO series, “Game of Thrones” with a film rather than with the television series.

The long running fantasy novel series was originally planned as a seven-part series, the latest installment being “A Dance with Dragons,” published in July 2011. Meanwhile, the HBO show is premiering its fourth season, this Sunday, April 6, which is said to begin by adapting the latter part of the third book. That means that the show could catch up with the books fairly soon not to mention that the actors are aging faster than the series is progressing.

Martin told the trade at the Lincoln Center premiere for the fourth season last night that the show may run longer than the books:

“It all depends on how long the main series runs. Do we run for seven years? Do we run for eight? Do we run for 10? The books get bigger and bigger (in scope). It might need a feature to tie things up, something with a feature budget, like $100 million for two hours. Those dragons get real big, you know.”

According to THR, we might also see more adaptation from Martin as his three prequel novellas, “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” set in Westeros 90 years before the events in “Game of Thrones,” are also being considered for a film adaptation. The prequel’s characters including Ser Duncan the Tall are somehow related as direct ancestors to those in “Thrones,” according to the author, though he won’t reveal how.

Steve Carell Boards The Priority List

Leave a reply

17571912-1

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Steve Carell is joining the cast in the starring role of the upcoming movie, The Priority List. The film is based on the recently released memoir of the same name written by David Menasche.

The novel is officially described as follows:

David Menasche lived for his work as a high school English teacher. His passion inspired his students, and between lessons on Shakespeare and sentence structure, he forged a unique bond with his kids, buoying them through personal struggles while sharing valuable life lessons.

When a six-year battle with brain cancer ultimately stole David’s vision, memory, mobility, and—most tragically of all—his ability to continue teaching, he was devastated by the thought that he would no longer have the chance to impact his students’ lives each day.

Carell wil also serve as producer on the film. Producing alongside Carell are his Carousel Prodcutions partners Vance DeGeneres and Charlie Hartsock.

He can next be seen in Foxcatcher, co-starring Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave and Sienna Miller, and in the upcoming adaptation of the popular children’s book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

There is no word yet on an anticipated release date or which actors are being eyed to star opposite of Carell.

Sofia Coppola to Direct Live-Action The Little Mermaid

Leave a reply

 

Little Mermaid 2

Sofia Coppola, the director behind the fantastic movie Lost in Translation and The Virgin Suicides, is in negotiation to direct an upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid adaptation. The tale was famously a Disney animated film but was actually based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale. Joe Wright was previously looking to direct the live-action feature.

Andersen’s story, which follows a young mermaid who gives up her life in the sea for a human prince, was first published in 1837 and has been adapted numerous times for stage and screen. Wright’s version is inspired by a children’s puppet theatre production of the classic at London’s Little Angel Theatre Company.

Caroline Thompson is currently rewriting the project, which has previously been drafted by Fifty Shades of Grey and Saving Mr. Banks screenwriter Kelly Marcel and, before that Abi Morgan.

There is no word when the project will begin production or what stars Coppola is eyeing for the leading roles.

Rooney Mara Cast in Joe Wright’s Pan

Leave a reply

000cb9871931ad4c32e673cfa09fb91c

Joe Wright’s Pan has added one more cast member. Rooney Mara has been cast in the role of Tiger Lily according to a report from Variety. She joins already cast actors, Garrett Hedlund and Hugh Jackman. 

J.M. Barrie’s iconic character Peter Pan gets a new story in Pan as the story takes place during World War II and follows young Peter, an orphan, who is kidnapped by pirates and taken away to Neverland.

Tiger Lily, in the original book, is princess of a tribe of Native Americans living in Neverland. In many adaptations, she serves as a love interest for Peter.

Wright is directing from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs. Greg Berlanti and Paul Webster are serving as producers. The film is set for a worldwide release on July 17, 2015, opening opposite Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Sells 3.9 Million DVD and Blu-ray Units Its First Week

Leave a reply

hunger-games-catching-fire

This should be no surprise, but Lionsgate has announced that “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” has sold 3.9 million DVD’s and Blu-ray copies in its first weekend of its North American release. This is the biggest digital launch in the company’s history with opening weekend sales.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has grossed $424 million at the North American theatrical box office, the 10th highest-grossing domestic release of all time, marking the first time that the first two installments of a franchise grossed more than $400 million at the domestic box office. The next two “Hunger Games” films, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2, will be released on November 21, 2014 and November 20, 2015, respectively.

“This is a monster opening and a tremendous result for the second film in a franchise, underscoring the enormous momentum of ‘The Hunger Games’ films,” said Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate President and General Manager of Home Entertainment Sales & Distribution. “Opening weekend packaged media sales of ‘Catching Fire’ were comparable to the first ‘Hunger Games’ title released nearly two years ago while digital sales grew by nearly 40%. With strong increases in digital revenue and Blu-Ray accounting for 50% of packaged media sales, the opening weekend performance is driving significant margin growth and is a testament to the strength of the franchise.”

Jim Packer, Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television & Digital Distribution, said,

“We opened ‘Catching Fire’ on nearly 20 digital platforms, including six that have launched since the home entertainment debut of the first ‘Hunger Games’ film in 2012, and it was number one on almost all of them. The broad demographic appeal of ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise uniquely positions it for this surge in digital ownership.”