This is the type of news that more likely than not is based only somewhat in fact (charitably), but word has recently been going around that the folks behind the James Bond franchise have been talking to Christopher Nolan about him taking over from Sam Mendes to direct the 24th Bond flick. The intriguing thing is, Nolan apparently is listening and has some level of interest. More likely than not, this won’t wind up happening, but can you imagine if it did? Skyfall was a Bond film that definitely had more than a bit of The Dark Knight influencing it, so imagine a movie that was full on of that ilk and by the helmer of that franchise himself? It could turn out to be rather epic. After the jump you can find out a bit more, but for now at least this is just a really cool rumor.
Superhero films often get a bad rap among AMPAS members. Not too many of them think any superhero genre film has pushed the boundaries of the cinematic scope to warrant any major citations. We often just accept that despite a movie being just freaking awesome and super entertaining à la Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) last year, there isn’t any feasible chance the Academy will recognize the mass popular film. Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 opened to decent enough reviews, no one necessarily bringing up the “O” word so this doesn’t really apply there per se but what about the other films that are scheduled to open. Better yet, how about the other films that have come before it. Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming Elysium looks like a visual splendor while Star Trek Into Darkness looks to capture the magic of its predecessor one more time. Not superhero films but genre films nonetheless that have an extra hard time being recognized no matter the quality.
When Heath Ledger was awarded Best Supporting Actor for his diabolical performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knight (2008), there’s no real way of ever knowing if Ledger hadn’t passed away prior to the film’s release, would he still have had all the momentum and get the AMPAS love he very much deserved. Read more on Superhero Omissions – What Oscar Hasn’t Recognized Over the Years…
As if this project wasn’t already something to salivate over, filmmaker Christopher Nolan may very well be adding one of most in demand talents in the industry to his next directorial outing, the sci-fi film Interstellar. After already casting Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey, Nolan is supposedly looking to add Jessica Chastain to his lineup. At this rate, anyone mentioned for an Oscar nod last year could very well wind up in the cast (someone tell those folks to sit by their phones), and honestly I wouldn’t mind that one bit.
I was a big fan of the initial Trailer for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, but it certainly didn’t show us too much of the movie, only a feel for what type of emotions it would be going for. That’s largely remained the case, but with the film getting closer to a release date, a new Trailer has emerged, and it’s managed to mesh those artier ambitions with some actual footage from the movie that shows us Superman in action. Besides more of star Henry Cavill, we also get to see Michael Shannon as General Zod, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Kevin Costner as Pa Kent, and Russell Crowe as Jor-El. I liked what I saw a bit, and it definitely had a Christopher Nolan-ish vibe to it. It’s also the rare trailer that’s over three minutes long these days. You can judge for yourself below. Read more on ‘Man of Steel’ New Trailer Gives Some Plot Details!…
After being announced recently that Matthew McConaughey will be starring in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, Deadline is reporting that recent Academy Award Winner Anne Hathaway is close to signing on for a role.
Matthew McConaugheyhas confirmed his lead role (a character named Cooper) in Christopher Nolan’s (The Dark Knight trilogy) next film, Interstellar. During a recent phone interview with the Star Tribune, McConaughey verified that the recent speculation surrounding the casting was indeed true. What little we know so far about Interstellar is that it involves time travel and is based on the theories of astrophysicist Kip Thorne. It is written by Christopher and his brother Jonathan and currently has a November 7, 2014 release date. You may now be excited.
Having graduated with honors from the prestigious institution that is the Batman Trilogy, Christopher Nolan is now applying for a Master’s in science fiction, and some heavy backers want to give him a full scholarship. In a rare but unsurprising move, given Nolan’s exceptional talent and popularity, studio giants Warner Bros Pictures and Paramount Pictures will be teaming up to co-produce and jointly distribute his upcoming sci-fi picture, Interstellar.
So I know we’ve been all awards obsessed for the past few days, but can we take a moment to appreciate two trailers released this week? Warner Bros premiered footage from both of Man of Steel and Pacific Rim at Comic-Con and have been surprisingly quiet about the films till now. First up is the beautiful trailer for Man of Steel about the best superhero of all time aka Superman. I want to be cautiously optimistic cause Zack Snyder is the master of delivering a great trailer and a lackluster film, but I can’t help being excited about the direction they are taking Superman.
Something that many never thought would ever happen is going on in Hollywood right now. Yes, ‘Star Wars Episode VII’ is in pre-production, and it’s not even being fully brought to us by George Lucas. We’re all aware by now that Oscar winner Michael Arndt has been hired to pen the script, and filmmakers like Colin Trevorrow and Matthew Vaughn have been rumored to be taking the directing job. Of course, A-listers like J.J. Abrams, Zach Snyder, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarantino have already pretty much said no, while people like David Fincher and Christopher Nolan aren’t really even worth seriously discussing. That got me thinking though…who else would get people excited? I know Brad Bird is a popular name, but I wanted to get the input of the community here at The Awards Circuit. I’ll be sharing seven names that I’d be interested in seeing get the gig (not including Matt Reeves, who I always put in pieces like this and decided to take a short break from), but I’m just as interested in getting your names as I am in sharing mine. We’re likely not too far out from finding out who the directing choice of Disney is, so before long we’ll know the director of a new Star Wars movie! Until then, here are my picks for filmmakers who could do a good job with the new trilogy…
The Christopher Nolan produced, Zack Snyder directed Man of Steel looks to be trying to conquer a different dimension as Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have announced that the film will be getting the 3D post conversion treatment. Snyder said that the film was designed and photographed in a way that would allow for an easier post conversion process. The film, set to be released on June 14, 2013, will now be getting a 3D release in select theaters, in addition to the 2D and IMAX showings. Read more on Warner Bros announces ‘Man of Steel’ to save the world in 3D…
After a reel of footage highlighting the best films of her career thus far, the radiant Marion Cotillard graced the stage for a quick conversation before the curtain rose for her latest contribution to French Cinema, Rust and Bone. She humbly admitted that it was “super weird” and almost “schizophrenic” to see footage of herself spliced together because the characters are all her, yet they’re all different people. When asked about the path that led to her success in acting, she confided in a time when she considered leaving the profession to pursue something else, but meeting with Tim Burton and getting a role in Big Fish convinced her to stick with it. And it’s a good thing she did. Since then, she’s secured roles she feels passionate about, in both French and American films, leading her to an Oscar win for Best Actress for La vie en rose (2007), and teaming up with the likes of Michael Mann, Woody Allen, Steven Soderburgh, and Christopher Nolan along the way. After the brief sit-down, director Jacques Audiard took the stage to introduce his cast, including Matthias Schoenaerts, who, as if in character, appropriately cued the feature presentation with an exclamation of, “Open the curtain, show the movie.”
Bond Week continues here at The Awards Circuit! As you all know, we’re going to be bringing you a whole host of James Bond related pieces between now and the release of ‘Skyfall’ this Friday. Historically, the gig of directing has taken a slightly lower profile. Directors such as Lewis Gilbert, John Glen, Guy Hamilton, Peter Hunt, Roger Spottiswoode, Lee Tamahori, and Terence Young are some prime examples. Of course, there have been slightly more well-known filmmakers like Michael Apted, Martin Campbell, and Marc Forster, plus the upcoming film which was made by Oscar winner Sam Mendes. This suggests a move away from caretaker directors and towards auteurs who might be able to add something to the franchise, so that’s where I’m picking up. I’ve got a list of filmmakers who I think would be fitting for upcoming Bond movies. Some have actually been talked about previously, though someone like Steven Spielberg, who once yearned for the job, is now wishful thinking, and likewise for Quentin Tarantino. I won’t be focusing much on people previously offered the job, such as Paul Haggis and Roger Michell, but I’ve got a dozen original names to throw out at you.
The Warner Brothers Awards Site has had their roster listed for a few weeks now. Big contenders like Ben Affleck’s Argo, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, and The Wachowski Siblings and Tom Tykwer’s Cloud Atlas have their respective categories listed. Even Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike is pushing a campaign for Matthew McConaughey and the rest of the cast. Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a film that our own Mark Johnson has stood by all year-long, has started listing their categories for consideration. Read more on ‘The Hobbit’ submits an Original Song for Oscar Consideration…
Writing this LIVE in the middle of Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast, what’s a better time to talk about Oscar Predictions than now. As we enter the leg of the season this November, some categories start to look more clear and less of a mystery. Some films also emerge as the ones to beat.
This past weekend Ben Affleck’s Argotook the #1 spot at the Box Office with the word-of-mouth spreading, the film, at this point, looks like the one to beat in Best Picture and Best Director. In response to the acting possibilities, some think that Affleck could show up like Clint Eastwood did in the year of Million Dollar Baby (2004) in Best Actor. It’s hard to imagine Daniel Day-Lewis, John Hawkes, and Joaquin Phoenix missing out on nominations with Denzel Washington in a comfortable fourth spot. Affleck and about fifteen other leading hopefuls are fighting for the fifth spot. Richard Gere’s goodwill charm and the lack of Oscar nominations to his credit may catapult him forward to his first mention in his forty-year career in Nicholas Jarecki’s Arbitrage. The film itself could follow the way of last year’s Margin Call, which surprised with an Original Screenplay mention on Oscar nomination morning.
Sizing Up Series continues with an in-depth look at the Director candidates for this year’s Oscar ceremony. As was the case last year, there are a few things to keep an eye for this particular category. One obviously is that a lot will have to do with which films get nominated for Best Picture at the end of the day. The other is the possibility of a Lone Director nod. It used to be something that happened, but it hasn’t come close of late. Now, with us in the brave new-ish world of anywhere from 5 to 10 nominees, it keeps the idea of the lone director alive, though it’s going to be unlikely for one to wind up breaking through. Not impossible, mind you…but I wouldn’t count on seeing it this year, or too many instances going forward.
After writing about Christopher Nolan and ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ literally every single day for a few months, it’s weird to not be discussing the filmmaker or the flick at the moment. We’re currently in the calm before we find out if the storm will hit for the film with any precursors, but until then, there’s a pretty interesting rumor circulating throughout the web of late. It posits that despite his history, Nolan is going to have a Director’s Cut of the movie available when the Blu-Ray of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ comes out. I’m not 100% sure that I believe it, but if the rumors turn out to be true, some interesting things could be afoot. After the jump I’ll explain just what, but for now take this with a grain of salt. Still, read on for details…
As Telluride and Venice ended and we sit in the heat that is the Toronto Film Festival, I’m updating Oscar Predictions slowly but surely. Screenings are happening daily and the race could change in a matter of seconds. My solution is to update one category per day for the next 20 days. By then Toronto would have ended, and we would be sitting firmly in the clump of the New York Film Festival. I’ve started with the biggest juggernaut, Best Motion Picture, but most importantly I took the opportunity to update the Oscar Tracker with several films and performances added to their respective categories. Read more on Oscar Circuit: Resistance is Futile…
If you love the movies, you owe it to yourself to see ‘Side by Side’. This documentary on the past, present, and future of cinema filtered aptly through the lens of the celluloid vs. digital debate is engrossing, entertaining, and vital. Somehow, filmmaker Christopher Kenneally and producer/interviewer/narrator Keanu Reeves manage to not make this project too inside baseball for the layman or laywoman, but at the same time it gets into the details in such a way that even experts won’t be bored. Digital and photochemical filmmaking have their passionate defenders, and the documentary gives both of them equal time. Reeves actually spends most of the time playing devil’s advocate (an amusing coincidence, no?) with A-list directors and cinematographers (plus some editors, studio executives, and businessmen working on the cameras being debated about), leading the doc to actually be the rare breed that isn’t advocating for one side or the other. Shooting on film is romanticized to a degree, but its limitations are made clear. Shooting digitally is presented as the wave of the future here today, but also not without some huge issues that detract from it. This is the type of thing every film school student should see in a 101 class, but moreover every film lover should see. It’s informative, but it’s also a lot of fun. Anyone who’s had the film vs. digital argument will adore what’s going on here. I can’t see anybody who enjoys film not enjoying this documentary, and that’s a rare statement.
Just as important as the Oscar Predictions of the Awards Circuit is the Oscar Tracker which I’ve neglected as of late. I’ve made appropriate changes and additions as I see fit. Official and Staff Oscar Predictions will be updated early this week in case you’re wondering. I’ve also taken the liberty of updating the Golden Globe Predictions page as well.
Explanation of some of the additions or removals which you can see on the page:
Removal of “The Hunger Games”
March was a long time ago. The Hunger Games had a great box office and probably has the support of a lot of fanboys and fans of the book series. With the openings of Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, and the eventual release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, any supporters for a blockbuster will have their votes split. Picture and Director were a longshot anyway, even back in March. Jennifer Lawrence holds on because the lack of quality contenders in the category. Read more on Oscar Tracking and Golden Globe Peaks…
Much like I mused around a month ago about who could direct the sequel to ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ if Marc Webb doesn’t wind up returning, I’m back again discussing potential directors for a superhero project…this time, the open slot for the ‘Justice League’ film. This is a much different project, and obviously Warner Brothers is so far looking at the A-list for their filmmaker. Christopher Nolan distanced himself from the project pretty much as soon as asked during his publicity for ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and I’d expect any day now to hear an official no from Ben Affleck’s camp after the studio set their sights on him. There are certainly plenty of interesting filmmakers who could do a great job with the gig and after the jump I’ll get into the names who might be in contention, along with who I’d like to see get the job. But this is mostly about seeing who you’d like to see sign on. That’s what I’m most interested in, but we’ll get the conversation started with my take on things below.
The Dark Knight Rises is like the gift that keeps on giving. Whether it’s discussion about its politics or Oscar potential, Christopher Nolan has created a film that has been and will continue to be discussed, dissected and written about. Luckily, for those who want an even more in depth look at the film, the shooting script has arrived only. At 165 pgs, it’s definitely long enough to justify the running time, but mercifully shorter than the supposed 400 pg outline/script that Nolan and co. originally turned in. The download link is available after the jump!
It is probably way too early in his career to do a Circuit 3 on Christopher Nolan, but with The Dark Knight Rises in theatres (and #1 at the box office for the second week in a row) it seemed like a fine time to recognize the director and help him celebrate his 42nd birthday. Born July 30th, 1970 in London, England, Christopher Jonathan James Nolan has come to be known as one of the finest directors working today, and has put together a resume over the last dozen years as equally impressive, or perhaps greater, than anyone else in that span. He is a dual citizen of both the United Kingdom and the United States, having split his childhood between London and Chicago, Illinois. His filmmaking career began at the crisp, young age of seven, when he would use his father’s Super 8 camera to make short films using his action figures. After studying at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, he continued his studies at University College London, becoming the president of the college film society from 1992 to 1994. Like many directors, Nolan started with short films before taking on his first feature film in 1998.
It may be hard to believe, but Christopher Nolan is now done with making films about Batman, and aside from his Godfather type role with the new Superman franchise, he’s done with costumed heroes in general (unless he’s got something up his sleeves that we’re unaware of currently). Nolan might actually be as melancholy about this as some of his fans are, because he’s penned a heartfelt farewell of sorts to Batman in the foreword of a new book about his trilogy. The book is called “The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy“, and after the jump you can see what he said in this farewell. I’ll admit, it’s pretty touching…but don’t take my word for it. See for yourself below.
In light of the recent tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, the studios have been hesitant to release the box office results from this past weekend. Obviously, there are far greater things to be concerned with than the amount of money a studio has made on their latest release and everyone’s thoughts and prayers remain with those deeply affected by this terrible and senseless act. But alas, it is the nature of this business to report on such things, and so here we are. I’ll keep things brief this week.
This is the type of news that more likely than not is based only somewhat in fact (charitably), but word has recently been going around that the folks behind the James Bond franchise have been talking to Christopher Nolan about him taking over from Sam Mendes to direct the 24th Bond flick. The intriguing thing is, Nolan apparently is listening and has some level of interest. More likely than not, this won’t wind up happening, but can you imagine if it did? Skyfall was a Bond film that definitely had more than a bit of The Dark Knight influencing it, so imagine a movie that was full on of that ilk and by the helmer of that franchise himself? It could turn out to be rather epic. After the jump you can find out a bit more, but for now at least this is just a really cool rumor.
As if this project wasn’t already something to salivate over, filmmaker Christopher Nolan may very well be adding one of most in demand talents in the industry to his next directorial outing, the sci-fi film Interstellar. After already casting Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey, Nolan is supposedly looking to add Jessica Chastain to his lineup. At this rate, anyone mentioned for an Oscar nod last year could very well wind up in the cast (someone tell those folks to sit by their phones), and honestly I wouldn’t mind that one bit.![Zod-Man-of-Steel-Michael Shannon_thumb[1]](http://www.awardscircuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Zod-Man-of-Steel-Michael-Shannon_thumb1-300x178.jpg)
I was a big fan of the initial Trailer for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, but it certainly didn’t show us too much of the movie, only a feel for what type of emotions it would be going for. That’s largely remained the case, but with the film getting closer to a release date, a new Trailer has emerged, and it’s managed to mesh those artier ambitions with some actual footage from the movie that shows us Superman in action. Besides more of star Henry Cavill, we also get to see Michael Shannon as General Zod, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Kevin Costner as Pa Kent, and Russell Crowe as Jor-El. I liked what I saw a bit, and it definitely had a Christopher Nolan-ish vibe to it. It’s also the rare trailer that’s over three minutes long these days. You can judge for yourself below. 
So I know we’ve been all awards obsessed for the past few days, but can we take a moment to appreciate two trailers released this week? Warner Bros premiered footage from both of Man of Steel and Pacific Rim at Comic-Con and have been surprisingly quiet about the films till now. First up is the beautiful trailer for Man of Steel about the best superhero of all time aka Superman. I want to be cautiously optimistic cause Zack Snyder is the master of delivering a great trailer and a lackluster film, but I can’t help being excited about the direction they are taking Superman.
