Actress Gallery

CHARMING TRAILER FOR JOSH HUTCHERSON'S "CARMEL"! KATE WINSLET IN KENNETH BRANAGH'S "THE GUERNSEY LITERARY & POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY"! CW'S SHOW ON DC'S "GREEN ARROW"!

2012-01-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

Now these are amazingly amazing news :) "Variety" reports that Kate Winslet has joined Kenneth Branagh's wonderful movie adaptation of THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE

SOCIETY novel by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Schaffer, in which the story centers on a group of London residents who are displaced to the island town of Guernsey after World War II. Kate Winslet will portray a magazine columnist who begins corresponding with a man from Guernsey, and learns how they used the book club to outsmart the Germans occupying the island. The writer takes a journey to Guernsey, where her life is forever changed. I've heard only warm impressions on this lovely book, so I'm really excited about the film which starst shooting this April. I'm excited about Winslet's and Branagh's collaboration as well, since they were absolutely stunning in HAMLET!

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

According to "Deadline" CW is negotiating with DC to make a TV show out of their GREEN ARROW comic about a superhero who first appeared back

in the 1940's dressed like Robin Hood who is an archer using trick arrows, including glue, net, tear gas and even kryptonite arrows. His secret identity is billionaire Oliver Queen. Luc Besson produced sf action LOCK OUT, which just changed its name into a rather stupid MS ONE: MAXIMUM SECURITY has got its official release date on April 20th. Shot last year in Serbia and starring Guy Pearce, the story of this thrilling film revolves around a wrongly accused prisoner who is promised his freedom if he infiltrates a space jail hovering above Earth in order to free the warden's daughter from the crazed prisoners who have organized a rebellion .Check out the trailer I've posted last year!

Definitely one of the stars which will be all present in cinemas this years, Josh Hutcherson, has a number of big blockbusters scheduled for 2012, including his roles in THE HUNGER GAMES and JOURNEY

2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND next to Dwayne Johnson, but this March he also has the leading role in this charming little feature called CARMEL BY THE SEA in which he plays a fifteen year old art prodigy abandoned by his drug addicted mother who then finds refuge in the picturesque art village of Carmel-by-the-sea. While trying to survive on his own, he is introduced to the underground world of art forgery. The cast of this lovely looking movie includes some nice names from young and gorgeous Hayden Panettiere, to Lauren Bacall, Alfred Molina, LORD OF THE RINGS' Billy Boyd and a bunch of people from Clint Eastwood's family, since if I remember correctly, Clint is or was the mayor of this little town in reality?

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON STARS WHO WILL DOMINATE 2012 IN CINEMAS! CHARLIZE THERON, EMILY BLUNT, EWAN MCGREGOR, CHANNING TATUM, JUDI DENCH

2012-01-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

While you were reading HOLLYWOOD SPY's big spotlight on all 2012 films, I'm sure you've noticed some names repeat, some stars will be busier than others, so here's a spotlight on actors who might dominate this cinematic year.

CHARLIZE THERON

After many years spent with the adoration of the audience, but without

any big hits and big films in her sleeve, Charlize Theron could finally hit it big this year. Beside a possible second Oscar nomination for her role in THE YOUNG ADULT, she will also have two huge blockbusters which might finally make her a profitable actress, which she deserves both with her talent, beauty and charisma: she will be a member of a spaceship crew in Ridley Scott's sf epic PROMETHEUS and then she will be the amazing Evil Queen in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and we have already seen in the trailer that she clearly dominates the film. Let us keep our fingers crossed for her.

EMILY BLUNT

Besides, Charlize, another amazingly talented and unbelievably gorgeous and charismatic actress who will star in tones of films this

year is English rose Emily Blunt. We shall watch her in romantic drama FIVE YEARS ENGAGE- MENT next to Jason Segel, and then in sf action LOOPER next to Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt about cops who go back in time to catch criminals. She will go back to romance in SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN next to Ewan McGregor, and in ARTHUR NEWMAN, GOLF PRO in which Collin Firth and her play two people who, trying to escape their past, move into an abandoned house together.

CHANNING TATUM

When it comes to boys, the face you will be seeing most is Channing Tatum's. He has six films released this year: TEN YEAR, about a

group of friends who reunite ten years after their high-school graduation, HAYWIRE, Steven Soderbergh's action packed film, 21 JUMP STREET, the remake of famous TV show this time in the big screen version, MAGIC MIKE, which is the story of his own early days as a stripper with Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganielo stripping with him in it, G.I. JOE 2: RETALIATION, the sequel to the sf blockbuster and THE VOW, in which he will play a husband whose wife, Rachel McAdams, loses all memory of him and their marriage after a car accident.

EWAN MCGREGOR

Our favourite English star Ewan McGregor might also get back into track with five of his films ready to hit cinemas in 2012: the biggest will

be JACK THE GIANT KILLER, fantasy epic in which he plays a royal guard. He will also star in above mentioned SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN and HAYWIRE. Two of his projects with interesting scripts are THE IMPO- SSIBLE, a suspenseful and disturbing story of a family with gets in the middle of Tsunami attack in Asia, and PERFECT SENSE, a sf film about a love story in the middle of an outbreak of a disease which leaves people without all their senses.

YOUNG STARS OF 2012

When it comes to young stars who might use a number of their projects to hit the stardom, there's Nicholas Hoult, whom you've seen last year in X-MEN 1ST CLASS, and who will take the lead role in fantasy epic JACK THE GIANT KILLER and in WARM BODIES, a film about

zombies in love. Young Josh Hutcherson will have lead roles in JOURNEY 2: MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and in THE HUNGER GAMES, along with roles in RED DAWN alongside Chris Hemsworth and in CARMEL as a teenager wanders into a small town where he is introduced to the art-forgery community. Also very busy this year is Jim Sturgess, who will have interesting roles in sf films UPSIDE DOWN and CLOUD ATLAS and also in ASHES next to Luke Evans.

JUDI DENCH

When it comes to our favourite ladies, her Royal Majesty Judi Dench (bow immediately) will amaze us in wonderful BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, about a group of senior people (her best friend Maggie Smith is among them) who move to India only to find their new promised luxurious home isn't luxurious at all. She will boss James Bond around in SKYFALL and will play Anna Marie Hoover in Clint Eastwood's J.EDGAR.

HUNKS OF THE YEAR

Two of the actors who will probably be the main hunks of 2012 are Chris Hemsworth and Taylor Kitsch. Chris has lead roles in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and in AVENGERS, and also in RED

DAWN, in RUSH as a formula 1 driver. Taylor Kitsch on the other hand has the lead role of his life in sf epic JOHN CARTER, and then also a lead role in another sf epic BATTLESHIP. He will also be an unfortunate drug dealer in SAVAGES next to Salma Hayek and Blake Lively.

COOL NEW PICS FROM CHANNING TATUM'S "MAGIC MIKE", JOHNNY DEPP'S "DARK SHADOWS", "MIRROR MIRROR", "ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER" & DANIEL CRAIG'S NAKED BUMS FROM "SKYFALL"

2012-01-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, my little freaks, it seems we shall have another picture Saturday, like we did last week (with a mindblowing success - it was the best visited Saturday post ever :). A bunch of new pics for the upcoming flicks has been released around the net, so here we go:

MAGIC INDEED

The first one is a naughty one for my ladies and other fans of super tight male bodies: the first picture from Steven Soderbergh's film

MAGIC MIKE has finally arrived from "Entertainment Weekly" showing Channing Tatum strutting his jaw dropping muscles with Alex Pettyfer in the first, and Matthew Bomer in the second pic. As you remember, the film actually follows Channing Tatum's real life

beginnings as a male stripper and also stars Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manga Hunky Niello :) and for the boys Olivia Over The Munn! The film is out this June.

IS THAT JOHNNY?

Another great photo for today is the first one from Tim Burton's movie adaptation of the famous classic TV show DARK SHADOWS showing, an almost unrecognisable, Johnny Depp as the vampire

Barnabas Collins next to Michelle Pfeiffer who is finally showing her real age in the pic. Hitting theatres this May and following the adventures of the crazy family of monsters, the film also stars Helena Bonham Carter and Jonny Lee Miller.

SPEEDOFALL (WE WISH)

Yet another lovely pic for my ladies, and those who love muscly male bodies, is this one from the new James Bond movie SKYFALL. It doesn't reveal much, but I guess that is the point since it shows Daniel

Craig sitting beside a pool wearing nothing but speedos and if you look more closely you will see 007's bums :) Opening in cinemas this November, SKYFALL will see Judi Dench as his boss, Ralph Finnes and Javier Bardem as the villains and Ben Whishaw as the new gadget expert Q.

LINCOLN'S AXE

You can also check out another picture from Timur Bekmambetov's fantasy period horror ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER showing young Benjamin Walker as the infamous American president holding an axe and probably planning to attack some naughty vampires since the film shows the stateman as a nocturnal hunter on evil undead bloodsuckers. Some people around the net

said they thought the pic was from THE HOBBIT :)) Ready to premiere this June, this strange combination of history and fantasy also stars Rufus Sewell as the leader of the vampires alongside Anthony Mackie and Dominic Cooper.

HOLLY WOOD SPY HEAD LINES

The latest news from Hollywood say that Joss Whedon's THE AVENGERS will be told from Captain America's perspective, which means that Chris Evans will be the main star in the cast. Steven Spielberg has announced that he will not direct JURASSIC PARK IV and that, although TIN TIN had a lukewarm success in the cinemas this December, the work on the sequel will start later this year, helmed by Peter Jackson. Tim Burton is apparently considering making a sequel to BEETLEJUICE with Michael Keaton reprising his role.

SNOW WHITE IN THE SNOW

There's also a new behind the sets picture from this year's biggest fairy tale epic MIRROR MIRROR showing Lily Collins as Snow White walking around the snowy forest dressed in a winter snowflake ball gown. You already know that Tarsem's new visual master piece will have larger than life costumes when it premieres this March also starring Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, Nathan Lane as her timid butler and Armie Hammer as the prince, beside Sean Bean as the King (who of course dies in the film).

DRAMATIC TRAILER FOR S.KOREAN OSCAR ENTRY "THE FRONT LINE"! 1ST POSTER FOR "THE WORDS" WITH BRADLEY COOPER & JEREMY IRONS! "ONE HUNDRED PERCENT LUNAR BOY" SF FILM! DISNEY TO MAKE "HOVERCAR" SF ACTION

2012-01-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

You know how much HOLLYWOOD SPY loves sf movies, and today I have a piece of news on one such film: "Variety" has revealed today that famous Russian Kazakh gone Hollywood director Timur

Bekmambetov (you know him for NIGHT and DAY WATCH, WANTED and ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER and he is also doing THE CASEBOOK OF VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN and MOBY DICK) has found himself a new project. It will be a movie adaptation of Stephen Tunney's sf novel ONE HUNDRED PERCENT LUNAR BOY, in which the story is set 2000 years in the future, with 16-year-old Hieronymus Rexaphin, who lives on the now colonized moon, where he meets a girl from Earth who is inexplicably drawn to him because of his special condition, which gives him the ability to see the future path of time and matter.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Another new sf project for Disney (after they release their sf epic JOHN CARTER this March) is the adaptation of HOVERCAR book from

Matthew Riley. As "MovieWeb" reports the story is set in a future where people travel via hovering cars, and hovercar racing is an elite sport. The story centers on a young man who enters an internationally-renowned racing school. You can also check out the interesting first poster for THE WORDS which comes out next year and, starring Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde and Zoe Saldana, follows a struggling writer who publishes a lost manuscript under his own name and then discovers the price he must pay for stealing another author's work.

The only trailer I have for you today, on the very slow week when it comes to film news, is for South Korea's official Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film THE FRONT LINE which hits US cinemas next week. Towards the end of the Korean War, an uneasy ceasefire is

ordered, but out on the Eastern front line of the Aerok Hills fierce fighting continues. A race to capture this strategic point to determine a new border between the two Koreas is the ultimate prize. At the Eastern border stands the "Alligator Company," known to be the best soldiers on the front line. They are the only unit to have survived the worst battle of the war at Pohang. When a South Korean bullet is found in the dead body of a company commander, Lieutenant of Defense Security Command Kang Eun-Pyo is ordered to investigate Alligator Company for the murder. Upon arrival, Kang Eun-Pyo is immediately shocked at the state of the soldiers, the conditions on the front, and the presence of Kim Soo-Hyuk, a former friend he believed to be dead. With a truce promised for years but no end in sight, one man struggles to make sense of a crime in the face of countless lives sacrificed for war. Don't forget to also check out Serbian Oscar entry MONTE VIDEO, GOD BLESS YOU and the Chinese one FLOWERS OF WAR.

1ST PIC OF NICHOLAS HOULT IN "WARM BODIES"! "BRUCE ALMIGHTY" SEQUEL, "POLICE ACADEMY" REMAKE! J.J. ABRAM'S "ALCATRAZ" PREMIERES MONDAY! "AVATAR 2" PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO 2016

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Close your eyes if zombies scare you, because here comes the first picture of young Nicholas Hoult as the undead hero in WARM BODIES, which premieres this August also starring Teresa Palmer. The story of the witty drama follows an existentially tormented zombie (Hoult) who falls for the girlfriend (Palmer) of one of his victims and decides to protect her from his brain-eating brethren as he begins to reconnect with his dormant humanity. The blossoming relationship starts a chain reaction that will transform him, his fellow zombies and maybe the whole

lifeless world. The cast also includes James Franco's brother Dave Franco who will play Teresa Palmer's boyfriend the leader of humans who are fighting against zombies, while John Malkovitch will play a general who wants to eradicate all zombies. Similar to Nicholas Hoult, popular comedian Rob Corddry will be one of the good zombies. The film is directed by 50/50 director Jonathan Levine.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

And I have two crazy pieces of news for you today: Jim Carrey's BRUCE ALMIGHTY is getting a sequel, and if that isn't funny enough for you POLICE ACADEMY is getting a remake, leaving BACK TO THE FUTURE probably the only 80's hit to be left to rest in peace. In the meantime, HANSEL AND GRETEL with Jeremy Renner and

Gemma Arterton are moved from this summer to January 2013, which is a really bad sign since only the worst of movies get their slots in January, while AVATAR 2 has been pushed all the way to 2016 when we will be all grey and retired. According to "THR" Rob Marshall,

who gave us three visually beautiful, but totally cold and soulless films MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and CHICAGO is doing a new musical film: he will helm Disney's INTO THE WOODS, which incorporates several fairy tale characters such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood with the story of a baker who attempts to start a family with his wife.

Are you ready for Monday's premiere of J.J. Abram's long awaited and super suspenseful new TV show ALCATRAZ which is happening at Fox next week? This chilling new thriller centers on America's most infamous prison and one-time home to the nation's most notorious murderers, rapists, kidnappers and thieves. But the frightening twist is that a group of Alcatraz inmates and staff that mysteriously vanished from the prison in the 1960s never to be found, suddenly start reappearing in modern times looking young and not aged at all ... and those are all nations most dangerous criminals. The show will follow a group of agents and detectives lead by Sam Neill who are trying to piece together the inexplicable sequence of events!

GREAT TRAILER FOR "BIRDSONG" WW1 SERIES WITH EDDIE REDMAYNE & MATTHEW GOODE! JUDE LAW, BLAKE LIVELY & CHANNING TATUM IN "THE SIDE EFFECTS"! "STAR WARS UNDERWORLD" TV SHOW! "A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES" MOVIE!

2012-01-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not sure about the story, but I do love the cast: "MovieWeb" reports that Steven Soderbergh's THE SIDE EFFECTS, has signed on Blake Lively, Jude Law and Channing Tatum. The story centers

on Emily Hawkins(Blake Lively), a young woman who becomes dependent on prescription drugs out of fear that her husband (Channing Tatum) will be released from prison soon. Jude Law will play Emily's new therapist. The bad news is that the script is being written by the scribe of CONTAGION. According to "Variety", BRIDESMAIDS director Paul Feig and the screenwriters of GILMORE GIRLS are working on THE BETTER WOMAN, centering on a successful young executive who gets dumped by her boyfriend for an older woman. She becomes friends with the older woman to find out why her boyfriend left her, and reinvents herself along the way.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

As I mentioned numerous times before, STAR WARS live action TV series has been planned for years now, and one of the reasons it still hasn't got into production is the price of the special effects.

It has been put on hold for three years, but it doesn't mean it doesn't have a working title: according to IGN, the title of the show is STAR WARS UNDERWORLD. It will be set between REVENGE OF THE SITH and A NEW HOPE and will follow some of the less known characters among criminals and galactic gangs. Warner Bros. is planning a film adapation of Deborah Harkness novel A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES which centers on a witch who accidentally unlocks a magical manuscript, and finds herself trying to prevent an imminent war with the vampires.The biopic on Grace Kelly GRACE OF MONACO, which I mentioned last year, has just got Olivier Dahan as the helmer. He is known for famous LA VIE EN ROSE.

You know how much we love young Eddie Redmayne (MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, PILLARS OF THE EARTH) and BBC has just released

an amazing first trailer for their epic mini series BIRDSONG which should be aired this spring. Eddie and Clemence Poesy (HARRY PLOPPER, GUNPOWDER, TREASON AND PLOT) star as the passionate young lovers Stephen and Isabelle, brought together by love and torn apart by the First World War, in this TV adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’s novel. Adapted by Bafta award-winning Abi Morgan (THE HOUR, IRON LADY), the two part series will span the decade of the First World War, telling the story of Stephen Wraysford, a young Englishman who, in 1910, arrives in Amiens, Northern France,

to stay with the Azaire family and falls desperately in love with Isabelle Azaire.They begin an illicit and all-consuming affair, with huge consequences for them both. Years later in 1916, Stephen finds himself serving on the Western Front in the very area where he experienced his great love. As he battles amidst the horror of the trenches he meets Jack Firebrace, a tunneller who unexpectedly helps him endure the ravages of war and enables him to make peace with his feelings for Isabelle, who he is destined to meet again. The cast also includes amazing Matthew Goode as Captain Gray.

LUKE EVANS IS HOLLYWOOD SPY'S BREAKTHROUGH STAR OF 2012! NEW POLL: BEST ACTORS WHO NEVER GOT AN OSCAR!

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Our latest poll is finished and the readers of HOLLYWOOD SPY have proclaimed their BREAKTHROUGH STAR OF 2011! It's Luke Evans with amazing 36% of votes, followed by Michael Fassbender (23%) and Henry Cavill (21%).

Welsh star Luke Evans really did have a great year in 2011 putting his name in golden letters on the movie map. He shined in two big roles - as super charming Aramis in THE THREE MUSKETEERS stealing the show from Orlando Bloom and Ray Stevenson, and then as proud and powerful Zeus, king of all Gods, in Tarsem's mindblowing epic IMMORTALS where he starred next to another breakthrough star and his good friend Henry Cavill. The introduction to this marvelous year of his career was year 2010 when he actually drew attention with delightful and expressive role in charming comedy TAMARA DREWE and with another of his Godly roles - Apollo in blockbuster epic CLASH OF THE TITANS. When it comes to 2012, he will appear in following projects: NO ONE LIVES, about a gang of ruthless highway killers who kidnap a wealthy couple traveling cross country only to shockingly discover that things are not what they seem, ASHES, in which he will appear alongside Jim Sturgess and Ray Winstone, THE RAVEN, next to John Cusack in this fictionalized

account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe's life, in which the poet pursues a serial killer whose murders mirror those in the writer's stories, THE AMATEUR AMERICAN, about an American in Paris who is framed for murder, THE HOBBIT AND UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, in which he plays Bard, the leader of Men, and he will also appear in

the second one as well THE HOBBIT THERE AND BACK AGAIN which premieres only in 2013. This year he was also in the run for the royal role in ARTHUR AND LANCELOT but he didn't get it, and the film is currently on hold. His profoundly charismatic and almost magnetic presence in films has made him the breakthrough star of 2011 bringing him thousands of fans around the world. Surrounded with fame and glory, Luke has remained a very polite and warm person, which you can see if you read the comments of his biggest fans bellow. HOLLYWOOD SPY has himself seen this warmth and kindness of Luke's since Luke has offered us his support a number of times throughout last year. Here's why his biggest fans love him:

FANS ON LUKE EVANS

Pat Fuentes from The League of British Artists

"I love Luke first because of his talent, he can play so many different and varied characters brilliantly, from muscials to mythology. Not many can say that. Most importantly, I love the person he is, I think what I like

is this 'what you see is what you get' aspect about him, in my interactions with him on Twitter, he is always polite and gracious, and thankful for our support as fans. And his sense of humor is priceless! He's a special man and I wish him all the best!"

Astrid from LukeEvansNews

"Luke Evans is the entire package, immensly talented, breathtakingly handsome and an ever better person on the inside. A breakthrough star that stole every scene he was in."

Hanna Ala-Kotila Luke's Twitter fan

"These are the reason why a part of my heart will belong to the awesome Luke Evans from here to eternity. His exeptional presence that makes him the king of any scene he's in, not to mention takes my breath away. Also because he seems like such a sweetheart and really a down-to-earth guy who just happens to be GINORMOUSLY talented... and yes, Luke Evans is also the cat's meaow."

Sarah Sharp, Luke's fan from Sweden

"With Luke, you see instantly that he was born to act; every inch of him seems to glow, on screen and on stage, with the passion belonging to a man who loves what he does and doesn’t take it for granted. He astounds as much as he inspires, and he undoubtedly deserves any and all success coming his way."

BEST ACTORS WHO'VE NEVER GOT AN OSCAR

Now, let us move to our new poll. Since Oscars are quite close, the atmosphere around the award show always makes you think of all

those great stars who have never won an Oscar even though they are amazingly talented and very often million times better than their fellow stars who were blessed with an academy award. This poll will have three parts, here are the candidates you can vote for in the first part: Emily Blunt (THE YOUNG VICTORIA, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA), Jude Law (COLD MOUNTAIN, ENEMY AT THE GATES, CLOSER, THE AVIATOR ), Michelle Williams (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, MY WEEK MARILYN, BLUE VALENTINE), Michael Fassbander (FISH TANK, HUNGER, SHAME, A DANGEROUS METHOD, CENTURION), Cillian Murphy (WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, BREAKFAST ON PLUTO), Amy Adams (JULIE & JULIA, DOUBT, THE FIGHTER), Kenneth Branagh (HAMLET, FRANKENSTEIN, HENRY V, OTHELLO). Vote on people! New stars who never won an Oscar in parts two and three next month.

PERIOD FILMS TUESDAY: "FAREWELL, MY QUEEN" WITH DIANE KRUGER & "EFFIE" WITH DAKOTA FANNING, EMMA THOMPSON & TOM STURRIDGE

2012-01-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems we are having a period Tuesday today at HOLLYWOOD SPY, since two of the upcoming historical movies have had their first

pictures released around the Net recently.

FAREWELL, MY QUEEN

The first one is for FAREWELL, MY QUEEN, a French film which will premiere this February at famous Berlin Film Festival. Directed by Benoit Jacquot the story of the film is set in Versailles in July 1789. Unrest is growing in the court of King Louis the XVI. The people are rebelling - a revolution is imminent. Behind the facades of the royal palaces, everyone is thinking of fleeing, including Queen Marie Antoinette (Diane Kruger) and her entourage. Among her ladies-in-waiting is Sidonie Laborde (Lea Seydoux) who as the Queen's reader has become

quite intimate with her. With great amazement, Sidonie experiences the first hours of the French Revolution. Her status as courtier makes her the best kind of narrator in the film - both an insider and an observer of the royals. She describes the final days before revolution engulfs the palace with insight and surprising slices of humor.

I'm not sure if we need another Marie Antoinette film after Sofia Copolla's horrid flop with Kirsten Dunst, especially with Diane Kruger (who isn't really a good actress, remember her shockingly bad acting in TROY?) in the lead role, but we shall give this one a benefit of the doubt.

DAKOTA FANNING'S EFFIE

Another period film for today is the one with young Dakota Fanning in the lead role in a period drama EFFIE which revolves around Effie Gray, a teenager who married famous London art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) in the 1850s but he refused to consummate the marriage since he was repulsed by her body even though Effie was considered a gorgeous girl. In the end she turned her affections to Ruskin's protege, famous Victorian painter John Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge). It' s interesting that the story was written by Emma Thompson who will also appear in the film beside two legends

Derek Jacobi and Julie Walters. The cast also includes Claudia Cardinale, Robbie Coltrane and super charming Russell Tovey from BEING HUMAN.
It is also interesting that the first candidates for the lead roles were Saoirse Ronan and Orlando Bloom and that Greg Wise is

Emma Thompson's real life husband and that this is Dakota Fanning's first role as an adult actress.The movie should appear in cinemas this June and as you can see from these pictures it will feature some really amazing and colourful costumes!

TIM BURTON DIRECTING A NEW "PINOCCHIO"? "MALEFICENT" FINDS A NEW HELMER. EXCITING TRAILER FOR SF "CHRONICLE"! GEORGE CLOONEY IN "MONUMENTS MEN" WORLD WAR 2 HEIST MOVIE

2012-01-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest news this weekend was that Tim Burton is going to direct a new movie version of PINOCCHIO. According to "THR", the

film will actually follow Geppetto's quest to find his missing puppet, offering the flipside to this often told tale. The bad news is that Robert Downey Jr is in talks to play the woodcarver. Speaking of Tim Burton, after he backed out from helming the movie adaptation of MALEFICENT, which would follow the famous evil witch from SLEEPING BEAUTY, Disney has now hired Robert Stromberg to direct this fantasy film. It will be his debut behind the helm since he worked as production designer before. Telling the story from the villainess perspective, the film will have Angelina Jolie in the lead role. I'm a bit shocked that Burton didn't offer both the roles of Geppetto and Maleficent to Johhny Depp :)))

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

I don't know what is your personal opinion of Jessica Biel, but she's mostly known for her relationship with Justin Timberlake and not for her acting skills. She might try to change that with a new

leading role in EMANUEL AND THE TRUTH ABOUT FISH, a drama about a troubled 17-year-old girl Emanuel who babysits her new neighbor Linda's "baby," which is actually a very life-like doll. She goes along with the delusion while befriending Linda (Jessica Biel), who happens to be the spitting image of Emanuel's late mother. Alfred Molina and Frances O'Connor are also in the cast. Remember how a few days ago I complained about tones of heist films being planned in Hollywood? Well, there's a new one, as "Digital Spy" reports, George Clooney will direct and write and also star in MONUMENTS MEN, a big-budget movie about the men who chased down the stolen art of Europe during World War II. They were a hand-picked group of art experts chosen by the U.S. government to retrieve artwork stolen by the Nazis.

One of the films which will premiere this year (in February to be more precise) is also a strange mixture of sf and an immature teen movie titled CHRONICLE. Although the technique of shooting the film with

a video camera used by the characters from the film themselves can be a bit irritating, the story is quite interesting: the story centers on Matt (Alex Russell), his awkward cousin Andrew (Dane DeHaan), and Steve (Michael B. Jordan). When Matt and Steve discover a bizarre hole in the Earth at a party, they get Andrew, who documents everything with his new camera, to help because his camera has a light. After exploring this hole/tunnel, the group realizes they have been bestowed with telekinetic abilities, i.e. they can move stuff with their minds. But, soon, though, they find their lives spinning out of control and their bond tested as they embrace their darker sides. Check out the exciting trailer.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S EXCLUSIVE MEGA SPOTLIGHT ON 2012 FILMS IN CINEMAS! FROM FAIRY TALES TO HOBBITS AND SF EPICS

2012-01-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you will agree with me that 2011 wasn't the greatest year in the film world, and it seems that in general the lack of originality will colour 2012 as well. However, HOLLYWOOD SPY brings you a general overview of the 2012 in cinemas with the hope that you will find at least a few pearls to get excited around this cinematic year. My own favourite will be March with lots of lovely films. The year will have lots of epics, fairy tales and action flicks. Red letters hide links.

SPECTACULAR SPRING

Cinematic spring will kick off in February with some warm stories like long awaited THE VOW in which Channing Tatum plays a man

whose wife Rachael McAdams forgets she is married to him after a traffic accident, and BIG MIRACLE, an inspiring story about whales with Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski. There's also WANDERLUST with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. We shall also watch JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND in which Josh Hutcherson is joined by Dwayne Johnson on a trip to a mysterious island to save his granpa Michael Caine.
But March is when the fun begins since it brings us the most spectacular visual treats with Tarsem's mega fairy tale MIRROR MIRROR with Lily Collins and Julia Roberts, with Disney's $200

million sf epic JOHN CARTER with a stunning cast which includes Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, James Purefoy, Mark Strong, Willem Dafoe, Dominic West and others, and then with mythical epic WRATH OF THE TITANS with Sam Worthington and Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes as Greek Gods. Fun in March is

guaranteed by two hilarious and super charming animated flick Dr. Seuss' LORAX and British THE PIRATES: BAND OF MISFITS. Those who like darker stories will enjoy THE HUNGER GAMES with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth and THE RAVEN with Luke Evans and John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe.Another fairy tale comes with a gritty version of HANSEL AND GRETEL with Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner. But for us who

love warm and inspiring stories there are SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN with a wonderful duo Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt and THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL with Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Dev Patel.

April will for some reason be quite poor, with only a few romantic films to cheer us up - THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT with Emily Blunt and Jason Segel and THE LUCKY ONE in which Zac Effron plays a soldier in love. And then May, as the end of spring will bring MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS in which we shall again see Chris

Hemsworth as Thor and Chris Evans as Captain America joined by the rest of the superheroes in their fight against evil. In the meantime Alexander Skarsgard and Taylor Kitsch will fight aliens in spectacular action epic BATTLESHIP. We shall also see THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY with amazing cast lead by Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver.

WEAK SUMMER

ay will start with Tim Burton's crazy movie adaptation of famous horror comedy DARK SHADOWS about a family of monsters played by Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Jonny Lee Miller... After which another film with amazing cast hits cinemas: WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING with Rodrigo Santoro, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Matthew Morrison, Chace Crawford, Elizabeth Banks, Dennis Quaid... The honour to open the summer season will go to SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN with Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman,to be

followed by Ridley Scott's prequel to ALIEN sf epic PROMETHEUS again with Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson and Michael Fassbender. Dark stories will also be seen in ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER with

Benjamin Walker and Rufus Sewell. But for us who love warm stories and fairy tales, there's beautiful animated epic BRAVE about a medieval Scottish princess, epic adventure JACK THE GIANT KILLER with Ewan McGregor and Nicholas Hoult and MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED. June will also bring us Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer and Joe Manganielo as strippers in MAGIC MIKE. July will be very poor bringing mostly sequels and remakes: G.I. JOE2: RETALIATION with Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis, THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN and super hilarious ICE AGE 4: CONTINENTAL DRIFT (caused by Scrat

off course :). August will end the season with EXPENDABLES 2 bringing all of the old action stars together from Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Lundgren, Van Damme and Chuck Norris to young stars Jason Statham and Liam Hemsworth. We shall also

watchCollin Farrell and Kate Beckinsale in the remake of TOTAL RECALL, and Nicholas Hoult and Theresa Palmer as zombies in love in WARM BODIES.

GREY FALL & HOBBIT WINTER

September will bring us the remake of famous JUDGDE DREDD with

amazing Karl Urban in the lead role, brilliant animated film HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA with Adam Sandler and a stellar voice cast. October will bring nothing special except the long awaited CLOUD ATLAS the new project of THE MATRIX directors. We shall also watch sf thriller LOOPER about a cop who goes back in time to catch criminals with Joseph Gordon Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt. But the action starts again in November with big projects such as new James Bond SKYFALL with Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem as villains, sf drama GRAVITY with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (in which apparently they won't have make up at all to get the natural look), and charming animated film THE RISE OF THE GUARDIANS. Keanu Reeves' 47 RONIN epic in which he plays an 18th century samurai will also premiere in November.

December will finally bring an end to our waiting with the premiere of the year - Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY with stellar cast including Cate Blanchett, Luke Evans,

Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Lee Pace... who will portray Tolkien's famous characters. After Hobbits, zombies takes over in Brad Pitt's huge contagion epic WORLD WAR Z which follows the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse around the world. The year will end with Ang Lee's movie adaptation of famous book LIFE OF PI with Tobey Maguire and Gerard Depardieu.

So, people, tell me, which of the tones of films I've just named attract you most? Which will bring you to cinemas this year?

NEW PICS FROM "BRAVE", "THE HOBBIT", "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN", "ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER" & "MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS"! "HORRIBLE BOSSES" & "BRIDESMAIDS" GETTING SEQUELS

2012-01-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

A bunch of new photos from this year's biggest films have hit the net, so we are having a picture Saturday today here at HOLLYWOOD SPY, beginning with a brand new photo from this year's most anticipated animated movie BRAVE which will tell the story of brave Scottish

princess Merida when it hits cinemas this June. Beside Merida, her father and mother, the new pic also shows her crazy triplet brothers with their hilarious red hairdos and a rather energetic mood. I have a feeling those three will be our favourite :)

BILBO IN THE WOODS

The second picture is from Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. The new photo shows Martin Freeman

walking around woods on his big hairy Hobbity feet as Bilbo Baggins. :) As you know the film hits cinemas December 14th.

EVIL QUEEN IS ANGRY

Then there's also a new photo from SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN which comes to cinemas this June bringing a dark look on the famous fairy tale with Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman and

Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen, who is seen in this new pic sporting one of the many black, golden and copper gowns to suit her naughty style in front of the unforgiving mirror.

ABE LINCOLN IS ANGRY

The first picture has also been released for ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER showing Benjamin Walker in the title role as he fights off a vampire with a sword. Dominic Cooper and Rufus

Sewell also star in this film about the American president who fights the undead by night which premieres also this June.

CHRIS & CHRIS ARE ANGRY

And the last new photo for today is for yet another of 2012 blockbusters - MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS showing Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Chris Evans as Captain America in the middle of a fight.

They are joined by Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner this May in cinemas.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

I have a bunch of short headlines for you today, my freaks, so brace yourself: HORRIBLE BOSSES with Jason Bateman, Kevin Spacey, Collin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston are getting a sequel. Another hit comedy from last year BRIDESMAIDS is also getting a sequel. The MIRROR MIRROR Snow White star Lily Collins has signed on to star in THE EVIL DEAD, the remake of the famous horror classic. She will play a drug addict. After ARTHUR AND LANCELOT, another big epic to be put on hold and maybe even totally cancelled due to financial crises is AKIRA sf epic.

I will use the opportunity to wish Merry Christmas today to all Serbs, Russians, Bulgarians and other people of Orthodox religion and to remind you to drop by tomorrow for HOLLYWOOD SPY'S MEGA GUIDE THROUGH 2012 FILMS. Lots of pics, posters and dozens and dozens of movies. Be there!

CHARMING CLIP FROM "TANGLED EVER AFTER"! BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH IS VILLAIN IN "STAR TREK 2"! DWAYNE JOHNSON & LIAM HEMSWORTH IN "EMPIRE STATE"

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One of the main movie news today is that Benedict Cumberbatch has officially joined the sequel to mega successful STAR TREK blockbuster which managed to revive the famous sf saga thanks to

great direction from J.J. Abrams and amazing chemistry between all of the cast members. According to "Deadline" Cumberbatch will play an unknown villain in the film. He now joins the old cast which includes Karl Urban, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Simon Pegg and the shooting should start this January. Beside starring in BBC's popular SHERLOCK show, Cumberbatch will also take two voice roles in Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT - lending voice to evil dragon Smaug and to The Necromancer. As I wrote earlier he will also appear in mini series PARADE'S END which will be set against the backdrop of WWI.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Two extremely busy hunks, Dwayne Johnson and Liam Hemsworth might star together in EMPIRE STATE as "Deadline" reports. The story of this action heist flick is based on the true story

of a 1982 armored car company robbery in New York City which was, at that time, believed to be the largest in U.S. history. I don't know why, but this must be tenth heist or robbery film we will be watching in the upcoming future.

Another thing you can check out today is a beautiful cast picture which STARZ has released for their most successful show SPARTACUS VENGEANCE which returns in its third season January 27th. To read

more about the season and to check out amazing character photos visit our big spotlight on the show.

And I have a super charming mega adorable clip for you today :) It is for a short animated film TANGLED EVER AFTER, which is kind of a very short sequel to one of Disney's most successful animated films in recent history.

The film will be played together with the 3D BEAUTY AND THE BEAST which hits cinemas next week. The story picks up where TANGLED left off. The Kingdom is in a festive mood as everyone gathers for the royal wedding of Rapunzel and Flynn. However, when Pascal and Maximus, as flower chameleon and ring bearer, respectively, lose the gold bands, a frenzied search and recovery mission gets underway. As the desperate duo tries to find the rings before anyone discovers that they’re missing, they leave behind a trail of

comical chaos that includes flying lanterns, a flock of doves, a wine barrel barricade and a very sticky finale. Will Maximus and Pascal save the day and make it to the church in time? And will they ever get Flynn’s nose right?

And don't forget that this Sunday I will be posting HOLLYWOOD SPY'S EXCLUSIVE MEGA SPOTLIGHT ON ALL THE 2012 FILMS. See what's in store for this cinematic year.

IS BRADLEY COOPER LEX LUTHOR IN "MAN OF STEEL"? AMANDA SEYFRIED & TAYLOR SWIFT TO JOIN "LES MISERABLES"! MATTHEW FOX IN WW2 EPIC "EMPEROR"! RYAN REYNOLDS IN "SAFE HOUSE"

2012-01-04T15:00:00.000-08:00

As HOLLYWOOD SPY had reported that it might happen, Amanda Seyfried and music star Taylor Swift have been offered the roles of

Cossette and Eponine in Tom Hopper's (THE KING'S SPEECH) musical movie adaptation of famous LES MISERABLES novel by Victor Hugo. If they get the roles, the girls will join Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway as Fatine, Eddie Redmayne as Marius and Russell Crowe in the story which revolves around Jean Valjean (Jackman), a 19th Century ex-convict who wants a fresh start at life, but he is constantly pursued by inspector Valvert (Crowe), who doesn't believe he has corrected his criminal ways. You probably remember that other actresses who were mentioned for these two roles include Scarlett Johansson, Lea Michelle and Evan Rachel Wood, and that there are rumors that Helena Bonham Carter could also join the stellar cast.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

According to "MovieWeb", Matthew Fox from LOST, will take the

lead role in new epic EMPEROR, which, inspired by true events, brings the story of love and understanding set amidst the uncertainties of the days following the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII, when General Douglas MacArthur served as the de facto ruler of Japan as supreme commander of the occupying forces. Matthew Fox will play General Fellers, one of MacArthur's leading Japanese experts, who is charged with reaching a decision of historical importance: should Emperor Hirohito be tried and hanged as a war criminal? The film will also explore the story of

Fellers' love affair with a Japanese exchange student he had met years before in the U.S., and his quest to find her in the ravaged post-war landscape. One of the hottest gossips which have hit the web during holidays is that Bradley Cooper might get a cameo role in Zack Snyder's Superman project MAN OF STEEL with Henry Cavill and Amy Adams. Since his mega epic PARADISE LOST is currently on hold, Bradley might play Lex Luthor in a short, but crucial part for the story.

A new poster has been released for action thriller coming out this February SAFE HOUSE in which Denzel Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid

after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he's remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Ryan Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A housekeeper who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he's had proves to be the most dangerous man he's ever met, Weston readies for duty. Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA's known, the

ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he's done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he's now back on the reservation with a secret. As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston's safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way. Now it's up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they're both eliminated from the game. The cast also includes Tim McGraw, Joel Kinnaman, Vera Farmiga and Brendan Gleeson.

MESMERIZING TRAILER FOR SF FILM "UPSIDE DOWN" WITH JIM STURGESS & KIRSTEN DUNST! JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE TO PLAY ELTON JOHN IN HIS MUSICAL BIOPIC! "BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE" & ANDROIDS IN NEW NBC SF SHOW PILOT!

2012-01-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

You remember that I mentioned a couple of times before that Elton John is planning a musical biopic about himself which will have a

surreal touch since he wants it to be made in the vein of famous MOULIN ROUGE which is why he wanted to hire Baz Luhrmann in the first place to fill the director's chair, but Luhrmann couldn't find the time. The film, which will feature most of his biggest hits, is being written by the people who penned BILLY ELLIOT. A new piece of information is that Elton wants Justin Timberlake to portray him in this film. As you remember, HOLLYWOOD SPY also thought Justin would be a better choice back when there were gossips that James McAvoy could take the lead. Justin has already brilliantly portrayed Elton in his video for "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" a few years ago. According to "The Hollywood Reporter" a new director has been found, but no names have been revealed.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Now this sounds kinda interesting. According to "Deadline" NBC is preparing a pilot for a new show called BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

which already has James Murray (CHAOS) and Patrick Heusinger (ROYAL PAINS, GOSSIP GIRL) in the cast. The story is set in a futuristic society where humans co-exist with androids known as Mechanicals, who are treated like lower-class citizens. James Murray will play the son of Lynda, whose late husband created the company which builds the Mechanicals. Although he lives an affluent life as a successful attorney, he makes a name for himself by suggesting the Mechanicals have civil rights. Patrick Heusinger will play a Mechanical employed by Lynda, who is deemed "defective" when he starts to feel forbidden emotions after his daughter's death.

OMG OMG OMG it's here, it's here, it's here, just a week ago I was telling you about the magnificent new sf film UPSIDE DOWN and showing you amazing

pics from the film, and now the trailer is here: and it is beautiful, from the amazing music, to wonderful sets and colours to mindblowing visuals. Check it out yourself. As you remember, Kristen Dunst and Jim Sturgess play the lead roles in the story of this romantic sci fi movie which takes place in two worlds that are literally on top each other, each city with their own gravity system. Sadly, the citizens of each town can not visit the other, for unknown reasons. Jim Sturgess plays the main character Adam, a seemingly ordinary guy in a very extraordinary universe. He lives humbly trying to make ends meet, but his romantic spirit holds on to the memory of a girl he met once upon a time from another world, an inverted affluent world with its own gravity, directly above but beyond reach... a girl named Eve (Kirsten Dunst). Their

childhood flirtation becomes an impossible love. But when he catches a glimpse of grown up Eve on television, nothing will get in the way of getting her back. Not even the law or science! Like any good lovelorn hero, he's not going to let a little thing like gravity get in the way of his heart's desire.

1ST TRAILER FOR JULIAN FELLOWES' "TITANIC" MINI SERIES! "ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS" GETS A FILM VERSION! "MERLIN" SEASON 4 STARTS ON SYFY THIS WEEK!

2012-01-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

Since Hollywood still hasn't waken up from New Year's Eve parties, we shall have a British day here at HOLLYWOOD SPY today, so you better

put on your bowler hats and put on your posh British dialects, and bow to her Royal Majesty Judi Dench, although we are not mentioning her here today in any of the projects :) For all of you who love BBC's planetary hit show MERLIN, the good news is that it is starting its fourth season this month in USA too on SyFy (January 6th) starring Colin Morgan and Bradley James. The season has just ended here in Europe with the last 13th episode and it was darker than the previous ones with Morgana becoming the main villain constantly plotting against Arthur who became the king of Camelot after King Uther died at the beginning of the season. Although I'm a huge fan, I must admit I thought this was

the weakest season so far, since it had bad stories, weak plots and it lost its charming atmosphere. The good thing is that Arthur now has his knights of the round table so at least the cast was refreshed a bit. The fifth season was already ordered before the premiere of this one.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

I'm not sure how much the people over in USA are familiar with ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, but it was one of the most famous

sitcoms ever here in Europe, following two utterly crazy, but absolutely fabulous, ladies celebrity PR agent Edina Monsoon and her chain-smoking best friend, Patsy Stone, in their boozed up escapades :) Well, it seems that the crazy duo, who just had a 20th anniversary Christmas special over at British BBC, will hit the big screens too in 2012. Starring two amazing British comedians Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley, the film will be set at the French Riviera and will see the two of them waking up in the middle of the ocean on a Russian oligarch’s yacht following a party that everyone else has long since departed. Fabulous, absolutely fabulous, dahling :)

With the success of DOWNTON ABBEY it seems that period series are trendy again, which means that you might like the new TITANIC mini series by famous Julian Fellowes (THE YOUNG VICTORIA, GOSFORD PARK) which will be aired this spring in four parts marking the 100th Anniversary of the ship’s sinking in the Atlantic Ocean.

You can check out the first trailer released for the project which should not be mixed with another similar mini series in the making TITANIC BLOOD AND STEEL, which was shot in Serbia for $30 million and stars Derek Jacobi, Chris Noth, Neve Campbell and Kevin Zegers and is an international co production. The last half minute of the trailer is especially beautiful but it seems that the series won't have

any dominant nor leading stars, at least judging from the clip which doesn't offer any appealing face to cling to. TITANIC will follow different characters ranging from steerage passengers to upper class guests. Each point of view will culminate in a cliff hanger as the ship begins to founder, building to an explosive conclusion which draws

together each of the stories. Viewers will be taken on a heart wrenching journey through Titanic’s last hours, as the drama reveals which of the characters they have come to know so well will survive…and who does not. The cast includes Toby Jones, Linus Roache, Maria Doyle Kennedy... The series airs in April in 50 countries around the world, including ITV in UK and ABC in USA.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON JANUARY MOVIES PART TWO: "UNDERWORLD AWAKENING" WITH KATE BECKINSALE & "RED TAILS" SECOND WORLD WAR EPIC!

2012-01-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

As you know, January is, similarly to August and other months at the end of a big season, a dumpster for bad movies. Not many good ones this January either. Beside some of the January 2012 films I've already covered ALBERT NOBBS, THE DIVIDE, THE GREY, EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE, check out these two bellow as well.

SELENE IS BACK

The latest installment in the super popular vampire saga UNDERWORLD AWAKENING is ready to hit cinemas January 20th and this time the human forces have finally discovered the existence

of the Vampire and Lycan clans commencing a war to eradicate both species. The fourth part in the saga brings a stunning new dimension to the epic battle between Vampires and Lycans as the first film in the franchise to be shot in 3D. Kate Beckinsale, the star of the first two films in the saga, returns in her role of the vampire warrioress Selene who escapes imprisonment to find herself in a world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species. Although the script was written by Kate's husband director Len Wiseman who helmed the previous parts, this time the film is directed by Bjorn Stein and Mans Marlind.

The cast includes Stephen Rea, Charles Dance, Michael Ealy, amazing Kris Holden Ried, whom we remember from THE TUDORS, and young Theo James who takes the lead male role in the film.

Beside her trademark roles in UNDERWORLD saga, VAN HELSING and PEAR HARBOR, gorgeous British rose Kate Beckinsale can't seem to find a successful project. Will she manage that in the future? She will appear next to Collin Farrell in the sf remake of TOTAL RECALL, and in two rather insignificant little projects HAPPY HOLIDAYS, KATHERINE SLOANE next to Sigourney Weaver and in THE TRIALS OF CATE MCCULLOUGH.

RED TAILS

Also coming out January 20th is a film HOLLYWOOD SPY has already mentioned a couple of times. If you like war epics you probably won't miss RED TAILS set in 1944. while World War II rages and the fate

of the free world hangs in the balance. Meanwhile the black pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program are courageously waging two wars at once – one against enemies overseas, and the other against discrimination within the military and back home. Racial prejudices have long held ace airman Martin Easy Julian and his black pilots back at base - leaving them with little to do but further hone their flying skills - while their white counterparts are shipped out to combat after a mere three months of training. Mistakenly deemed inferior and assigned only second-rate planes and missions, the pilots of Tuskegee

have mastered the skies with ease but have not been granted the opportunity to truly spread their wings. The cast of the film includes Cuba Gooding Jr. Terrence Howard, rnb star Ne-Yo, Bryan Cranston and others.

HOLLYWOOD SPOTLIGHT ON JANUARY FILMS: "MAN ON A LEDGE" WITH SAM WORTHINGTON & ED BURNS, "ONE FOR THE MONEY" WITH KATHERINE HEIGL & JASON O'MARA

2011-12-31T15:00:00.000-08:00

MAN ON A LEDGE

Probably the January film with the best ensemble in its cast is action thriller MAN ON A LEDGE which is scheduled to hit theatres January 27th. The suspense

story follows an ex-cop turned con (Sam Worthington) who threatens to jump to his death from a Manhattan hotel rooftop. The nearest New York Police officer immediately responds to a screaming woman and calls dispatch. More Officers arrive with SWAT and tactical command along with fire-fighters. The police then dispatches a female police psychologist (Elizabeth Banks) personally requested to talk him down from the ledge. However, things aren't as straightforward and clearcut as they appear to be, and the longer she is beside him on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior objective. The stellar cast also includes Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, Anthony Mackie, Edward Burns, Kyra Sedgwick...

It is interesting that much more famous Amy Adams was considered for the role of the female negotiator in the beginning, but the role went to Elizabeth Banks who is building a similar image of cute and adorable actress who is good both in comedies and in dramas. The film shouldn't be confused with THE LEDGE with Patrick Wilson, Liv Tyler and Charlie Hunnam which also has a man threatening to throw himself of a ledge.

ONE FOR THE MONEY

Hitting cinemas the same day as MAN ON A LEDGE is a comedy action for my dear ladies. It's ONE FOR THE MONEY in which Katherine Heigl brings Stephanie Plum, the popular heroine of Janet Evanovich's worldwide best-selling sixteen-book mystery series, to

vibrant life. A proud Jersey girl Stephanie Plum's has plenty of attitude, even if she's been out of work for the last six months and just lost her car to a debt collector. Desperate for some fast cash, Stephanie turns to her last resort: convincing her sleazy cousin to give her a job at his bail bonding company as a recovery agent. True, she doesn't even own a pair of handcuffs and her weapon of choice is pepper spray, but that doesn't stop Stephanie from taking on Vinny's biggest bail-jumper: former vice cop and murder suspect Joe Morelli - yup, the same sexy, irresistible Joe Morelli who seduced and dumped her back in high school. Nabbing Morelli would be satisfying payback, and a hefty payday,

but as Stephanie learns the ins and outs of becoming a recovery agent from Ranger, a hunky colleague who's the best in the business, she also realizes the case against Morelli isn't airtight. Add to the mix her meddling family, a potentially homicidal boxer, witnesses who keep dying and the problems of all those flying sparks when she finds Morelli himself... well, suddenly Stephanie's new job isn't nearly as easy as she thought.

The cast also includes brilliant and super charismatic Jason O'Mara who is currently under the spotlights due to his charming role in TERRA NOVA TV show. Katherine Heigl's next project is THE WEDDING in which Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton play a long divorced couple which fakes being married as their family unites for a wedding, next to Robin Williams, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Ben Barnes and Susan Sarandon.

I will also use this opportunity to wish you all the best in New 2012 Year, hope it will bring us all lots of great films (so far it's quite promising), good shows (not so promising) and lots of love, laughter, money and sex in our private lives :)
HOLLYWOOD SPY LOVES YOU AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!
Thanks for making us a site read by millions in 2011 :)and for popping over each day for fresh film news!

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" WITH CHARLIZE THERON, CHRIS HEMSWORTH & SAM CLAFLIN PLUS A BRAND NEW TRAILER!

2011-12-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

The last trailer I have for you, my little freaks, in this year, is the latest international trailer for SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

which hits cinemas in June next year, about two months after Tarsem's rival project MIRROR MIRROR robs US box offices. The new Russian trailer bellow offers some scenes we haven't seen in the first official trailer earlier this year. It also promises some really mind blowing scenes, spectacular visuals and awe-striking sets. The film might be really good, off course if you can stand Kristen Stewart, as most people can't, and if you can swallow the ridiculous part which defies all laws of logic and nature in which mirror says to Charlize Theron that Stewart is prettier than her :) Yep, and me is prettier than Chris Hemsworth :)

SNOW WHITE STORY

The story of the SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN will bring a gritty new take on the legendary fairy tale in which the Huntsman (played by Thor himself Chris Hemsworth) has an expanded role from the one in the classic fairy tale. In the original story, he is ordered to take Snow White into the woods, kill her and bring her heart to the Evil Queen Ravenna (here played by Charlize Theron who looks rather magnificent in the costume), but instead lets her go. But in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN the two will be chained together for part of the movie as they make their escape. But this doesn't mean that the Huntsman is Snow White's love interest,

because the prince is still in the story (prince Charmant is played by super charismatic Sam Claflin from PILLARS OF THE EARTH and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN). The huntsman here has a task of being Snow White's mentor, teaching the teen girl to fight and survive and teaching her how to fight back the Evil Queen. The cast also includes Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Lily Cole and Toby Jones.

SNOW WHITE TIDBITS

All seven dwarves in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN carry the names of famous Roman emperors which means that Ian McShane appears as Caesar, Eddie Izzard as Tiberius, Bob Hoskins as Constantine, Toby Jones as Claudius, Eddie Marsan as Hadrian, Stephen Graham as Nero, Ray Winstone as Trajan and Nick Frost as Gus (short from Augustus).

The idea of the studio is to make this one into a trilogy of films. It is interesting that both MIRROR MIRROR and SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN are more focusing on the Evil Queens and the strong charisma's of Charlize Theron and Julia Roberts than on Snow Whites.

Before Chris Hemsworth got the role of the Huntsman, the strong contenders were Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy and at one point even Johnny Depp, but for a long time Viggo Mortensen was almost

locked for the role, but he decided to leave the project which wasn't promising at all at the time after which Hugh Jackman was the second huge star to refuse the role.

The first choice for the Evil Queen was Angelina Jolie, while Saoirse Ronan and Emily Browning competed for the Snow White role, and even Lily Collins, who got the role in MIRROR MIRROR, auditioned for this one.

Director of the film, Rupert Sanders, has never helmed a film before this one. The brilliant costumes were designed by famous Colleen Atwood who won Oscars for ALICE IN WONDERLAND, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA and CHICAGO.

GRIPPING TEASER FOR "THE IMPOSSIBLE" WITH EWAN MCGREGOR & NAOMI WATTS! 1ST PICS FROM "CLOUD ATLAS" FROM "THE MATRIX" HELMERS! NEW POSTER FOR "THE PAPERBOY" WITH NICOLE KIDMAN, ZAC EFRON AND MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY

2011-12-29T15:00:00.000-08:00

It's seems I will have great pics from an upcoming sf film today again, after yesterday's UPSIDE DOWN photos. Twitch has released first concept art from CLOUD ATLAS, a new film by a trio of directors - Tom Tykwer (RUN LOLA RUN, PERFUME) and Lana and Andy Wachowski (we haven't seen almost anything from the last two ever

since their THE MATRIX saga). These first pics show a futuristic image of Seoul in 2144 in which the film is set. Based on a bestselling book by David Mitchell, the intricate and complex movie features six intertwining story lines set in a different times and places that become intricately related to each other, with actors playing roles in each time. The stories span from the 19th Century to a post apocalyptic 22nd

Century.The cast of the film is rather big and filled with well known names from Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Grant, Jim Sturgess and Ben Whishaw, to Susan Sarandon, James D'Arcy, Jim Broadbent, Halle Berry....It is also quite unusual that having in mind its $ 100 million budget and 2012 release, the film has had zero marketing so far.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the new posters released today around the net is the first one for THE PAPERBOY, a movie adaptation of Peter Dexter's novel. You

probably remember HOLLYWOOD SPY mentioning this film during the casting process, since they have quite a lot of big names in the cast. The story of the film follows Ward James (Matthew McConaughey), a Miami Times reporter who returns to his hometown to investigate the murder of a local sheriff and is eventually helped by his younger brother Jack (Zac Efron) as they investigate the possible wrongful conviction of a man on death row. Throughout the process Jack falls for the woman (Nicole Kidman) whom the convict (John Cusack) has been romancing through prison correspondence. The film should hit cinemas sometime next year.

One of the very few clips that have appeared around the net this week is a highly atmospheric and intriguing Spanish teaser for THE IMPOSSIBLE, an English language film debut by Juan Antonio Bayona,

who directed THE ORPHANAGE. The film, which still doesn't have a US release date stars Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts as a family caught in the tsunami that hit Thailand seven years ago: Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds toward her.
Henry grabs the two youngest boys, but it’s too late: the wave smashes into him with incredible force and dislodges his grip. Maria is pushed

underwater, where she is crushed and battered by debris to the brink of death. She finally surfaces in a raging black sea, which has completely submerged her three-story hotel and the surrounding landscape. Maria gasps for breath while she tries to understand what has just happened,

convinced that her family has been obliterated in the blink of an eye. But then, her eldest son, surfaces a few meters ahead in the wild flood. Face-to-face with something unexpected and incomprehensible, she must fight against all odds for her child’s survival. And her own.

AMAZING PICS FOR SF FILM "UPSIDE DOWN" WITH KIRSTEN DUNST & JIM STURGESS. NEW TRAILER FOR PERIOD DRAMA "BEL AMI" WITH ROBERT PATTINSON, CHRISTINA RICCI, UMA THURMAN

2011-12-28T15:00:00.000-08:00

The end of December and beginning of January are known as the worst weeks in movie news business, so it's not easy finding fresh info in this part of the year. Bare with me people, bare with me, better times are coming ;)

AMAZING UPSIDE DOWN

The first thing I have for you today are the first pictures from one of our most anticipated sf films in 2012, an unusual sf story UPSIDE DOWN which will obviously have a very unique and probably spectacular visual appeal. With the budget of around $ 60 million and with Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturgess in the lead roles, the story of this romantic sci fi movie takes place in two worlds that are literally on top each other, each city with their own gravity system.

Sadly, the citizens of each town can not visit the other, for unknown reasons. Jim Sturgess plays the main character Adam, a seemingly ordinary guy in a very extraordinary universe. He lives humbly trying to make ends meet, but his romantic spirit holds on to the memory of a girl he met once upon a time from another world, an inverted affluent world

with its own gravity, directly above but beyond reach... a girl named Eve (Kirsten Dunst). Their childhood flirtation becomes an impossible love. But when he catches a glimpse of grown up Eve on television, nothing will get in the way of getting her back. Not even the law or science! Like any good lovelorn hero, he's not going to let a little thing like gravity get in the way of his heart's desire.

Look up towards the sky and rub your eyes because you won't believe what you see: cities, forests, and oceans with their own inverted gravity, only an arm's length away, yet completely unreachable. Take a leap over to this alternate reality, two worlds - one above, one below facing each other, and you'll land in the extraordinary world of UPSIDE DOWN.

HOLLYWOOD SPY has been following this film since 2009 and I can't wait to finally see the first trailer. In the meantime enjoy the first pictures.

RPATS WANTS TO BE UR BEL AMI

The only trailer I have for you today is a new one for my ladies: a UK clip for period drama BEL AMI which should hit British cinemas next

March, but it still doesn't have a US release date. This adaptation of a Guy de Maupassant’s novel stars that guy some ladies love for unfathomable reasons, Robert Pattinson alongside some forgotten actresses such as Christina Ricci, Kristen Scott Thomas and Uma Thurman. The story follows a man's rise to power in Paris by manipulating the city's most influential and wealthy women. He travels through 1890s Paris, from cockroach ridden garrets to opulent salons, using his wits and powers of seduction to rise from poverty to wealth, from a prostitute’s embrace to passionate trysts with wealthy beauties. And all of this happens in a world where politics and media jostle for influence,

where sex is power and celebrity an obsession. But beware, the trailer features lots of really bad acting and frigid facial expressions from RPats, Thurman and even Scott Thomas. And in case you're interested the beautiful song in the very end of the trailer is "Nara" from E. S. Posthumus.

And have you noticed that HOLLYWOOD SPY has had it's 1,000,000th visitor last night? My dearest L.G. Smith took a print screen of the moment when the stat counter was at 999,999

NEW PICS FROM "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN"! GERARD DEPARDIEU & ISABELLE ADJANI IN STRAUSS KAHN FILM? TRAILER FOR "THE BABYMAKERS" WITH OLIVIA MUNN

2011-12-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

New photos have been released today for one of the films which will try to rob box offices next summer: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN,

the reboot of the famous franchise, which I'm personally not interested in at all, but I know some of you like the saga, so enjoy the pics. Not much is known about the plot of the film except that it will focus on a teenage Peter Parker who is grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super human crises. In their effort to reboot the franchise, the producers have chosen a rather unappealing and non-charismatic Andrew Garfield to take over the role from Tobey Maguire, and he is joined by always cute and charming Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Martin Sheen and Sally Field as Peter's aunt and uncle, while Rhys Ifans, who is under

the spotlights this year with his role in ANONYMOUS, is appearing in the role of Spider-Man's nemesis The Lizard. A huge number of actors and actresses have competed for the role of Peter and Gwen, before

Andrew and Emma got them, and these name include Lily Collins, Emily Browning, Hilary Duff, Taylor Lautner, Josh Hutcherson, Aaron Johnson, Zac Efron and Logan Lerman, while Michael Fassbender & Christoph Waltz were 1st considered for The Lizard role.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the scandals which definitely marked this year was the one

around Dominique Strauss-Kahn, so it's no wonder that a film version of this sex story is already being planned. According to "Deadline" Gerard Depardieu might take the lead role alongside French beauty Isabelle Adjani. Although the original story involved a young hotel maid who, back in May, accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), of sexually assaulting her in a New York City hotel room, the film might be just inspired by that and focus more on addiction and politicians.

It is quite unusual to have a trailer released two years before the premiere of a film, but that's what just happened to THE BABYMAKERS comedy which is slated for release sometime in 2013.

Starring gorgeous Olivia Munn, the favourite of all the boys around the planet, and Paul Schneider (although I must admit I don't see him as an lead actor, and especially not as a partner to Olivia), this hilarious comedy will have a story revolving around a guy, who after failing to get his wife pregnant, recruits his pals to steal the deposit he left at a sperm bank years ago. Schneider will be seen beside Christian Bale in Chinese epic FLOWERS OF WAR this year, while Olivia is ready to star in MAGIC MIKE a magical film in which you will see a bunch of Hollywood's biggest hunks from Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Mathew McConaughey and Matt Bomer to Joe Manganiello and Adam Rodgriguez, playing male strippers.

PS HOLLYWOOD SPY will get its 1,000,000th visitor tonight, so if you're that person, do a print screen and send it to us as a souvenir :)

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON TARSEM'S MAGICAL TALE "MIRROR MIRROR" WITH LILY COLLINS, ARMIE HAMMER, JULIA ROBERTS, SEAN BEAN & NATHAN LANE

2011-12-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

Check out lovely new posters for family adventure MIRROR MIRROR which premieres next March. The film brings a spectacular reimagining of the classic fairy tale from the Grimm Brothers sticking to the original version in which the dwarves weren't miners but thieves. Starring Julia Roberts as the Queen, Lily Collins (The Blind Side) as Snow White, Armie Hammer (The Social Network) as Prince Alcott, Sean Bean (The Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings) as the King and Nathan Lane ( The Birdcage) as the Queen's hapless and bungling servant, Brighton, this spirited adventure comedy will be filled with jealousy, romance and betrayal that will capture the imagination of audiences the world over.

MIRROR MIRROR STORY

In the story of MIRROR MIRROR, super talented, visionary director and visual genious Tarsem Singh (the author of some of the most striking films in cinematic history - IMMORTALS, THE CELL, THE FALL) rewrites fairy tale history as a wicked enchantress (Roberts) schemes and scrambles for control of a spirited orphan’s (Collins) throne and the attention of a charming prince (Hammer). When Snow White’s beauty wins the heart of the prince that she desperately pursues, the Queen banishes her to the dark and dangerous forest, where a frigtening ravening man-eating beast hungrily awaits.

Rescued by a band of diminutive highway robbers, Snow White grows into an indomitable young woman determined to take back her realm from the treacherous Queen. With the support of her subjects, she roars into action in an epic battle that blends spectacle, magic and contemporary humor in Singh’s signature, jaw dropping visual style.

MIRROR MIRROR TIDBITS

The full name of the film is actually MIRROR MIRROR: THE UNTOLD ADVENTURES OF SNOW WHITE, but Relativity Media opted for the shorter title. It is interesting that Lily Collins (who is the daughter of music legend Phil Collins) has first auditioned

for the lead role in the rival project SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, but when she lost that one, Tarsem hired her, as he admitted, mesmerized by her snowy tan and her eyebrows. After this one she will lead another fantasy franchise MORTAL INSTRUMENTS.

Saoirse Ronan was actually the first choice for the role, but she didn't get the role when Armie Hammer was hired, because the age difference between them is too big. Before Armie got the role of the prince, other candidates were Alex Pettyfer and James McAvoy.

This is gazillionth film in which Sean Bean doesn't live but dies. This is Tarsem's first family friendly movie, since he is generally known for a darker or very complex approach to his film, even though THE FALL also had a young girl as the lead actress.

The dwarves in the film will have some quite crazy names: Chuckles, Wolf, Napoleon, Grub, Half-Pint, Grimm and Butcher. The music in the film will be composed by one of the most famous movie composers, Alan Menken who won 8 oscars for ALADDIN, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, POCAHONTAS, TANGLED, THE LITTLE MERMAID....

Imaginative, sparkly and divine costumes in the film, were made by Eiko Ishioka, Oscar winner, known for marvelous costumes in THE CELL, THE FALL, DRACULA, IMMORTALS...

TRAILERS FOR THE 2ND SEASONS OF EPIC SHOWS "THE BORGIAS" AND "SPARTACUS VENGEANCE"

2011-12-25T15:00:00.000-08:00

With the beginning of the new year closing on us, we are also getting close to the premiere of the new seasons of the epic shows that we loved watching this year: THE BORGIAS and GAME OF THRONES return in April, while SPARTACUS VENGEANCE returns this January.

THE BORGIAS

Although the first season of THE BORGIAS historical show was at moments boring to the extent of being unwatchable, it did pick up the pace after the sixth episode and it actually became dynamic, intriguing and exciting, and the second season awaits us next April at Showtime and today you can check out the first trailer for the return of the original crime family. Judging from the trailer beside the members of the infamous Papal family, which includes Jeremy Irons as Pope Rodrigo Borgia, David Oakes and Francois Arnaud as his sons, Holliday Granger as his

daughter Lucrezia, Colm Feore as his main enemy, and Luke Pasqualino as Lucrezia's love and the father of her child, the second season will also bring back most of the kings, politicians and clerics from the first one bringing with them new plots and scheming plans. Check out the dynamic trailer bellow.

SPARTACUS VENGEANCE

A brand new, third trailer for Starz' super popular show SPARTACUS VENGEANCE is here. As you remember from HOLLYWOOD SPY's spotlight on the second season, on the heels of the bloody escape from the House of Batiatus that concluded SPARTACUS

BLOOD AND SAND, the gladiator rebellion continues and begins to strike fear into the heart of the Roman Republic. Gaius Claudius Glaber (Craig Parker) and his Roman troops are sent to Capua to crush the growing band of freed slaves that Spartacus (Lyam McIntyre) leads before it can inflict further damage. Spartacus is presented the choice of satisfying his personal need for vengeance against the man that condemned his wife to slavery and eventual death or making the larger sacrifices necessary to keep his budding army from breaking apart. Containing all of the blood-soaked action, exotic sexuality, and villainy and heroism that has come to distinguish the series, the tale of Spartacus resumes in epic fashion. Judging from the trailer, it seems

Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) will have to swallow her pride and become friends with horrid Illythia (Viva Bianca) again, who left her locked in the ludus to be killed in the horrific bloodshed that ended the first season, in order to survive in Capua as a woman without a husband and in order to take her revenge on her and on Spartacus. The second season premieres January 27th!

HOLLYWOOD SPY WISHING YOU LOVELY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS! LOVE, SMILE AND SHARE POSITIVITY WITH PEOPLE AROUND YOU!

2011-12-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

Since I know most of you are celebrating Christmas today, I wanted to wish you Merry Christmas in an appropriate naughty way, as expected from HOLLYWOOD SPY :) .

So I hope all my gorgeous ladies will experience a magical Christmas with a hot Santa Hunk like one of these from the pictures, I'm sure those hunks have something nice for you, and I hope all my boys will

have a steamy Christmas with a Santa Babe like one of these from the pictures :) And don't forget that all of you have your own babes and hunks in your homes too, so give them some luv on this special festive occasion and make Dezzy proud.

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

I hope that you will spend Christmas holidays surrounded with loving creatures, that you will receive and give love, that you will think of all those who don't have love and happiness and could use a smile or a help from you and that we will all be blessed with peace and health till the next Christmas.

When it comes to HOLLYWOOD SPY, I hope we will cross a millionth visitor in a few weeks and that all those visitors will keep sending us positive energy with their constant support, comments, love

and positive energy that all of you bring every day when you visit your HOLLYWOOD SPY,who loves you and there's nothing you can do about it! Regular programming resumes tomorrow with some epic trailers :)

NEW PICS FROM ANIMATED FILMS SCOTTISH EPIC "BRAVE", CRAZY "RISE OF THE GUARDIANS" AND TIM BURTON'S "FRANKENWEENIE"!

2011-12-23T13:23:00.000-08:00

Well, in the spirit of Christmas, I think we shall have an animated film day today here at HOLYWOOD SPY :) "MovieWeb" has released first concept art from DreamWorks' new animated film RISE OF THE GUARDIANS for which we saw the first poster last week. The new pic reveals Santa, the Easter Bunny, The Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy

in their secret layer, on the eve of saving the world from an evil demon named Pitch. The story follows the Earth's greatest protectors, including Santa (Alec Baldwin), The Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), The Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), and the Sandman (a silent, monk-like character), who must protect the children of the world from an evil demon named Pitch (Jude Law).

BURTON'S FRANKENWEENIE

New photos have also been released for Tim Burton's crazy animated tale FRANKENWEENIE, which might not be in the spirit of Christmas, but it's Tim Burton after all :) This stop motion animation,

ready to premiere October 2012 brings a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life

... with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can

be monstrous. The film will be 3D but it is interesting that it will be totally in black and white.

A beautiful new photo has been released for Disney Pixars biggest animated project for next year, epic story BRAVE which should hit cinemas next June. As you already know, this stunningly gorgeous, beautifully coloured film follows a Scottish princess Merida, who is a skilled archer and impetuous girl, who, determined to carve her own

path in life, defies an age-old custom and inadvertently unleashes chaos and fury in the kingdom. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late. Directed by super talented Mark Andrews (RATATOUILLE, JOHN CARTER), the film features a lovely voice cast: Kevin McKidd, Julie Walters, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane...

"PROMETHEUS" TRAILER IS HERE WITH CHARLIZE THERON, PATRICK WILSON & MICHAEL FASSBENDER! HARRISON FORD, ABIGAIL BRESLIN & HAILEE STEINFELD IN "ENDER'S GAME"! DAVID YATES HELMS "YOUR VOICE IN MY HEAD"

2011-12-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems all of the kid stars in Hollywood will appear in the movie adaptation of bestselling book ENDER'S GAME, one of the possible future sf franchises for young audience beside THE HUNGER GAMES and MORTAL INSTRUMENTS. After little Asa Butterfield (HUGO, BBC's MERLIN) got the lead role of a young computer game wizard who is recruited by the futuristic army to fight back some insect like invaders on Earth, two new young stars who have joined the cast of the sf movie are Abigal Breslin (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE), as Ender's sister, and

Hailee Steinfeld, as Ender's ally. According to "Variety" Harrison Ford has also been officially confirmed as the general who runs the facility in which these kids are trained for fighting back the alien attack. As "MovieWeb" reports, David Yates (HARRY PLOPPER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS) will helm an unusual psychological drama YOUR VOICE IN MY HEAD, a film adaptation of Emma Forrest's memoirs, which chronicles her suicidal tendencies and quest to become a better person by visiting a psychiatrist. She faces psychological breakdown after her therapist suddenly passes away.

PROMETHEUS EPIC TRAILER

And here it is, as promised the last big trailer for this week (although it's possible Hollywood might surprise us tomorrow with something

new too), the long awaited clip for Ridley Scott's sf thriller PROMETHEUS. The trailer itself is rather strange, it has some really bad music and features glimpses into a lot of dynamic scenes from the epic movie. It also has quite an irritating title slowly building in the middle of the screen while the trailer is going on. However, it does seem epic and huge. Hitting cinemas next June, this highly anticipated movie features quite a strong cast including Patrick Wilson, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Idris Elba. When it comes to the story, this is a prequel to famous ALIEN, which follows a team of explorers who discover a clue to the origins of mankind on

Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. As you probably remember from HOLLYWOOD SPY's reports throughout last two years, a lot of big stars and also the younger ones

were competing for the roles in the film, and some of the stars who were, at some point, in the run, include Angelina Jolie, James Franco, Gemma Arterton, Olivia Wilde, Anne Hathaway, Ben Foster and even Michelle Yeoh.

PS It seems Christmas holidays have brought you all in front of your computers since HOLLYWOOD SPY had amazing 4,500 visitors yesterday, I'm guessing you were excited to see THE HOBBIT trailer :) Today's number is also very high, with 3,000 visitors already registered. HOLLYWOOD SPY loves you, people :)

MAGICAL TRAILER FOR "THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY" IS HERE STARRING MARTIN FREEMAN, CATE BLANCHETT, LUKE EVANS, LEE PACE, RICHARD ARMITAGE, IAN MCKELLEN, STEPHEN FRY...

2011-12-21T13:37:00.000-08:00

Well, as you know, this spy has a career so I wasn't able to give you the long awaited THE HOBBIT trailer immediately as it appeared

around the Net today, so I guess you've already seen it, but tell me how did you like it? You have it bellow if you haven't seen it. As we've expected from the first, and very early trailer, it doesn't show much of the story or action, but introduces us with the characters and some truly lovely sets and landscapes. It also gives us a glimpse at some of the beloved characters from LORD OF THE RINGS saga such as Queen Galadriel and Gollum. It is also quite atmospheric with very interesting music. As you know the first part of the saga THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY will premiere in December 2012. Based

on JRR Tolkien's famous book "The Hobbit", the film will bring the story of Bilbo Baggins, whom we have already seen in "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy.

THE HOBBIT STORY

The story now follows Bilbo as he first encounters Gandalf. Bilbo Baggins is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue

by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and

the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever ... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities ...

THE HOBBIT CAST

As you remember from HOLLYWOOD SPY's extensive spotlight on THE HOBBIT characters,the magnificent cast includes Cate Blanchett as the Elven queen Galadriel, Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Luke Evans as Bard the leader of

Men, Benedict Cumberbatch who will lend his voice to the dragon Smaug, Hugo Weaving as Elven king Elrond, Lee Pace as Elven king Thranduil, Stephen Fry as Master of Laketown, Evangeline Lilly as Elven girl Tauriel, Richard Armitage and Aidan Turner as dwarves....

THE HOBBIT TIDBITS

First part AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY premieres in December 2012, while second part THERE AND BACK AGAIN will premiere in December 2013! Overly dark and morbid Guillermo del Toro was supposed to helm the film, but fortunately, Peter Jackson took it

over during the pre-production limbo. Actors James McAvoy, Matthew Goode and David Tennant were in the option to play Bilbo. MGM's bankruptcy, Peter Jackson's ulcer surgery and New Zealand union strikes are just some of the troubles THE HOBBIT

went through. Barry Humphries, also known as famous Dame Edna (US audience remembers her/him from ALLY MCBEAL) will play a CGI Goblin King, the ruler of the underground caverns in the Misty Mountains.

CHARACTER POSTERS FOR "THE AVENGERS" WITH CHRIS EVANS, CHRIS HEMSWORTH, TOM HIDDLESTON, SCARLETT JOHANSSON! DELIGHTFUL TRAILER FOR "MISS MINEOS"!

2011-12-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

For some reason a lot of the 2012 big films are releasing trailers or pictures this festive week, we are having THE HOBBIT trailer

tomorrow and PROMETHEUS trailer later this week,while today you can enjoy the first character posters for one of next year biggest super hero flicks THE AVENGERS featuring Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). The plot of this Marvel's film is still kept a secret, but it is known that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agency will bring together a team of superhumans to help save the Earth from annihilation by extraterrestrial invaders. To hit cinemas next May, opening the summer season, this action adventure is directed

by Joss Whedon who is mostly known for his television projects such as FIREFLY, BUFFY, ANGEL, DOLLHOUSE... The cast itself also includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson, Stellan Skarsgard and Clark Gregg.

AVENGERS TIDBITS

The budget of the film is estimated at around $150 million! Edward Norton was the first choice for The Hulk and after that Joaquin Phoenix was mentioned for the role, but it went to Ruffalo. Nathan Fillion was the first choice for Hawkeye, while

his friend from Whedon's FIREFLY sf show Morena Baccarin also auditioned for one of the roles. Lou Ferigno, who is known as the original Hulk, will give his voice in the film which will have Tom Hiddleston's Loki as one of the main villains who will bring the Kree-Skrull war to Earth, thus requiring the Avengers' formation.

HEARTWARMING TRAILERS WEEK

Continuing HOLLYWOOD SPY's week of Heartwarming Trailers this Christmas season, since I want you to smile, laugh and get inspired in this part of the year instead of being scared by some

of the current morbid films, I'm presenting you today a lovely family fantasy comedy MISS MINEOS which hits US market December 23rd. The charming story follows a cat who turns into a young woman Mineos but retains some of her feline characteristics and helps a journalist to gather news for the front page of his local newspaper. With the help of Minoes, who can talk to the cats in the small town, he soon discovers that the popular chairman of the Club For Friends of Animals and boss of a nearby factory has evil plans. The film has Carice van Houten in the lead role, and we shall watch her next year in GAME OF THRONES 2 as Melisandre.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S BEST AGE DEFYING ACTRESS IS HELEN MIRREN! NEW POLL: BEST BREAKTHROUGH STAR IN 2011!

2011-12-20T05:02:00.000-08:00

The second part of BEST AGE DEFYING ACTRESSES is finished after three weeks of voting, and the absolute winner this time is Helen Mirren who took amazing 48% of your votes, leaving behind her Michelle Yeoh (15%) and Julianne Moore (14%).

Now, I know you love British legend Helen Mirren both for her charming acting talent and for her trade mark naughtiness. As you remember, back in her youth, she was one of the actresses who didn't have a problem with taking their clothes off in front of the camera, and everybody still remembers the famous or infamous CALIGULA from 1979 which is the first and the last of the mainstream films to try to mix epic and erotic or even pornographic in one film. Among hundreds of nude people in that film we've seen Helen Mirren too. But the mature age didn't make her become shy, so she still thrills her fans from time to time with nude pics of her 66 years old body. After CALIGULA, one of her best roles was in equally unusual epic EXCALIBUR from 1981 in which she played Morgana. Continuing her royal roles, after that we saw her in THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE, and she was even using her voice to play queens in animated flicks SNOW QUEEN and THE PRINCE OF EGYPT,

and then she was queen again in marvelous TV mini series ELISABETH I next to Hugh Dancy and Jeremy Irons. After that came her most famous role, for which she won an Oscar, again playing Elisabeth but the Second one in THE QUEEN. If you ask me personally, I loved her best in amazing film THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE a deeply passionate drama in which she seduced or was seduced by extremely younger hunks Olivier Martinez and Rodrigo Santoro. In more recent years we've seen her in a lot of really bad films, rather unfitting for her talent from INKHEART, NATIONAL TREASURE, THE DEBT and STATE OF PLAY, to THE TEMPEST and ARTHUR. But she did give great performances in THE LAST STATION as the

wife of Leo Tolstoy and as madame in LOVE RANCH which was directed by her real life husband Taylor Hackford. As you know, in the future we shall see her next to Anthony Hopkins in ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE MAKING OF PSYCHO.
Most people don't know that she is of Russian origin and her real name is Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironoff. She received the title of Dame from the Queen in 2003. She is one of the very few people to receive two acting Golden Globes in the same year and she got them for playing Elisabeth I and Elisabeth II. Believe it or not, she has just one Oscar, but was nominated four times.

2011 BREAKTHROUGH STAR

Now let us move to our next poll: next three weeks we shall be choosing 2011 BREAKTHROUGH STAR. There were a number

of actors and actresses who had great roles this year and who won media attention and love of the fans securing themselves a lot of great future projects. So, who is the best among them: Henry Cavill (IMMORTALS, THE MAN OF STEEL, THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY), Luke Evans (IMMORTALS, THE THREE MUSKETEERS, THE RAVEN, THE HOBBIT), (X-MEN FIRST CLASS, SHAME, A DANGEROUS METHOD), Michael FassbenderChris Hemsworth (THOR, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN), Jennifer Lawrence (X MEN FIRST CLASS, THE HUNGER GAMES), Tom Hiddleston (THOR, DEEP BLUE SEA), Melissa McCarthy (BRIDESMAIDS).

DYNAMIC TRAILER FOR "WRATH OF THE TITANS"! AMAZING POSTER FOR "RISE OF THE GUARDIANS"! SANDRA BULLOCK & GEORGE CLOONEY IN "GRAVITY"! PATRICK DEMPSEY IN "THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN"

2011-12-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of the lovely posters released this weekend is the first one for upcoming animated movie RISE OF THE GUARDIANS. We haven't seen much info on this DreamWorks project ever since the casting process was finished. The adaptation of children's

book by William Joyce, starts with an evil spirit called Pitch who becomes bent upon taking over the world by inspiring fear in the hearts of kids everywhere, so a group of our greatest heroes - Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost - band together for the first time, determined to stand in Pitch's way. More than a collection of storybook subjects, The Guardians are also a band of superheroes, who possess their own special powers. Now joined in opposition of a common foe, the Guardians heed the call and combine their powers to defeat Pitch and protect the world from his campaign of fear. The almost incredible voice cast includes Hugh Jackman, Alex Baldwin, Jude Law, Chris Pine, Isla Fisher, Leonardo DiCaprio...

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

According to "The Hollywood Reporter" Universal is preparing a movie adaptation of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN a Garth Stein's bestselling novel, which is told from the perspective of Enzo, a dog who evaluates his life based on lessons learned from his owner a race car driver. The film doesn't have a director yet,

but the lead role will apparently go to Patrick Dempsey, one of our favourite TV hunks. Another project that I wrote about before is Sandra Bullock's sf film GRAVITY in which she will take the lead role next to George Clooney. The plot of the film has been officially revealed around the net now: the story follows Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock), a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone, tethered to nothing

but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

Beside THE HOBBIT trailer which should arrive tomorrow, another great epic trailer is here this week. It is the first clip for the

epic adventure WRATH OF THE TITANS, the sequel to the famous blockbuster which earned hundreds of millions around the world. A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus (Sam Worthington), the demigod son of Zeus (Liam Neeson), is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity's lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the

imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the brothers Zeus, Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and Poseidon (Danny Huston). The triumvirate had overthrown their father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that

lies deep within the cavernous underworld. Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades, along with Zeus' godly son, Ares (Edgar Ramírez), switch loyalties and make a deal with Kronos to

capture Zeus. The Titans' strength grows stronger as Zeus' remaining godly powers are siphoned, and hell is unleashed on earth. Enlisting the help of the warrior Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), Poseidon's demigod son, Argenor (Toby
Kebbell), and fallen god Hephaestus (Bill Nighy), Perseus bravely embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, overthrow the Titans and save mankind. The film hits cinemas next March!

MAGICAL TRAILER FOR "THE FLYING MACHINE"! "THE HOBBIT" TRAILER TO PREMIRE TOMORROW! EVA GREEN IN "300: THE BATTLE OF ARTEMISIA" EPIC PREQUEL

2011-12-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

Why oh, why, do you hate me Hollywood? It seems that Tinseltown has decided to put one of my least favourite actresses in one of my most anticipated future projects: "Heat Vision" reported

this weekend that one dimensional, blank, frigid and highly unappealing Eva Green has been offered a role in 300: BATTLE OF ARTEMISIA, the prequel to the legendary Spartan epic with Gerard Butler. She will apparently play Artemisia, a wicked goddess who persuades Xerxes to assemble his army and lead them into battle against the Greeks. I really hope it doesn't happen, since the casting efforts have been horrid so far, especially with the idea to give the lead role to Joel Edgerton, but thankfully that didn't happen. Thus, the role of Greek general Themistokles who will give resistance to Xerxes is still open (do you hear me, Karl Urban and Luke Evans?) .

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

As I've mentioned a few times before probably the most anticipated trailer this year, the one for Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT should arrive this Tuesday with the premiere of

Steven Spielberg's THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, although there are some rumors that it might be released online later tonight. It will be an exciting wait :) Some of the lucky ones who managed to see the trailer in top secret, say it presents the characters rather than give action and that it has some huge legendary scenes from the book. However, although the trailer will bring us some joy this Christmas, we shall have to wait for the film itself more than a year, since THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY premieres December 2012 starring Cate Blachett, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly... Don't forget to check out HOLLYWOOD SPY's extensive spotlight on characters we shall watch in the film.

HEARTWARMING TRAILER WEEK

To fight back all of those who had horror blogfests, and who get thrills for dark knights, dragon tattooed loonies and other morbid nonsense, I'm continuing my series of heartwarming trailers in the Christmas week which I've started with SALMON FISHING
IN THE YEMEN this weekend, and will continue with THE HOBBIT and some other trailers this week, but today here's something really dazzling and magical: it's a quite a breathtaking clip for THE FLYING MACHINE, the first film ever to combine 3D, stop -motion animation and live action, united by the stunning music of Frédéric Chopin. The film's live action segment is set in present day London, where career focused single parent (Heather Graham) juggles her professional life with parenting. Overworked and inattentive to the needs of her two children, she has a chance meeting with Lang Lang and his

flying-piano contraption, which prompts her to reevaluate her life and priorities as she's hurled skyward. In a wordless stop-motion segment, we are introduced to young Anna, who is separated from her beloved father because of his work. Heartbroken, she and her cousin attempt to reunite with him by traversing the globe on the flying machine. What began as a short film project celebrating the two-hundredth anniversary of Chopin's birth has blossomed into one of the most dazzling marriages of animation and classical music.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON OSCAR SEASON FILMS: "FLOWERS OF WAR" WITH CHRISTIAN BALE AND "ALBERT NOBBS" WITH GLENN CLOSE

2011-12-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

The season of Golden Globes, Oscars and other movie awards is just ahead of us, bringing us many great dramas with terrific performances, and today you can check out a spotlight on two

of the films which might score big at these ceremonies.

THE FLOWERS OF WAR

A movie adaptation of Geling Yan's book 13 FLOWERS OF NANJING, China's candidate for 2012 Oscars THE FLOWERS OF WAR is set in 1937, when Nanking stands at the forefront of a war between China and Japan. As the invading Japanese Imperial Army overruns China’s capital city, desperate civilians seek refuge behind the nominally protective walls of a western cathedral. Here, John Miller (CHRISTIAN BALE), an American trapped amidst the chaos of battle and the ensuing occupation takes shelter, joined

by a group of innocent schoolgirls and thirteen courtesans, equally determined to escape the horrors taking place outside the church walls. Struggling to survive the violence and persecution wrought

by the Japanese army, it is an act of heroism which eventually leads the seemingly disparate group to fight back, risking their lives for the sake of everyone. Through treacherous surroundings and facing unimaginable evil, THE FLOWERS OF WAR, inspired by true life events, manages to tell a genuine story of hope, love and sacrifice. With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, fate always has a way of bringing the most unlikely heroes together.

FLOWERS TIDBITS

The film is currently in US cinemas! With the budget of $90 million it is one of China's most expensive films ever. It is directed by famous genius Zhang Yimou best known for his amazing epics HERO, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS and my personal favourite CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER. It took 164 days, 18 hours a day, to shoot this epic.

ALBERT NOBBS

One of the films which amazed us all with Glenn Close's stunning transformation, is certainly ALBERT NOBBS which might bring the great actress an Oscar she has never, believe it or not,

gotten so far (she was nominated five times, though)! Hitting cinemas next January, this period drama will have legendary Glenn Close in the role of a woman passing as a man in order to work and survive in 19th century Ireland. Some thirty years after donning men's clothing, she finds herself trapped in a prison of her own making. Quite a stunning cast also includes young Aaron Johnson, the new count Vronski in ANNA KARENINA, amazing Maria Doyle Kennedy, whose magnificent portrayal of queen Catherine of Aragon in THE TUDORS we still remember, and two ultra talented Irish thespians Brendan Gleeson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

ALBERT NOBBS TIDBITS

The film hits cinemas January 27th. It is interesting that the first two actors to be offered the role in the film were Amanda Seyfried and Orlando Bloom, but after they've backed out, the roles were given to much weaker Aaron Johnson and extremely cold Mia Wasikowska.

TRAILERS FOR "JACK THE GIANT KILLER" WITH NICHOLAS HOULT AND EWAN MCGREGOR & "SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN" WITH EWAN MCGREGOR & EMILY BLUNT! 1ST POSTER FOR "ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER"! REESE WITHERSPOON IN "DEVIL'S KNOT"

2011-12-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sure that you will rejoice when I tell you that we are having an Ewan McGregor day today at HOLLYWOOD SPY :) By some strange coincidence he is having two trailers for his new films

released this weekend. The first one is for one of next summer's most exciting fantasy epics JACK THE GIANT KILLER. Premiering next June it is directed by Bryan Singer (USUAL SUSPECTS, X MEN) and stars young Nicholas Hoult in the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend and gets the chance to become a legend himself. Ewan McGregor plays the head of the Royal Guard, and the cast also includes three smashing gents Ian McShane, Stanley Tucci and Bill Nighy.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the brand new posters released today is for Timur Bekmambetov's horror flick ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER. Produced by Tim Burton, and hitting

theaters next June, the film follows the infamous American president who leads the state by day and hunt vampires by night. This silly business stars young Benjamin Walker in the lead role (he is mostly known as Meryl Streep's future son in law), Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper and Rufus Sewell, or as we call him RufRuf, as his vampire nemesis. Deadline reports that Reese Witherspoon has joined DEVIL'S KNOT a drama in which she will play Pam Hobbs, the mother of a West Memphis 3 murder victim, who initially believes the trio committed the crime, but eventually is persuaded that they are innocent. Unusual choice for the romcom star.

The second Ewan McGregor's trailer for today is equally charming and promotes SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN which will open in cinemas next March also starring mesmerizing Emily Blunt. Directed by one of the most heartwarming directors ever Lasse Hallstrom (CHOCOLAT, AN UNFINISHED LIFE, DEAR

JOHN) the film follows Dr. Alfred Jones, a henpecked, slightly pompous middle-aged scientist at the National Centre for Fisheries Excellence in London, who is approached by a mysterious sheik about an outlandish plan to introduce the sport of salmon fishing into the Yemen. Dr. Jones refuses, but the project, however

scientifically absurd, catches the eye of British politicians, who pressure him to work on it. His diaries of the Yemen Salmon Project, from beginning to glorious, tragic end, form the narrative backbone of this novel; interspersed throughout are government memos, e-mails, letters, and interview transcripts that deftly capture the absurdity of bureaucratic dysfunction.

And, please, don't forget to vote for HOLLYWOOD SPY in Movie411BlogAwards, especially in Gold Blog category (it's at the bottom of the voting page), don't let me lose, dear people :) The voting closes this Sunday.

TRASHY TRAILERS FOR NICOLAS CAGE'S "GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE" & "THE EXPENDABLES 2" WITH STALLONE, VAN DAMME, SCHWARZENEGGER, STATHAM, LUNDGREN, NORRIS! GOLDEN GLOBE 2012 NOMINATIONS

2011-12-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

Now, don't kill me, but today were are having a trashy trailers day :) No news this Friday, so I have to give you a dose of kitschy

action and horrid action stars :) Take it with some humour :) The first clip is for Nicolas Cage's sf action GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE. I know that we didn't even like the first one, but the sequel is here ready to premiere next February. As you know this is a comic book adaptation in which Nicolas Cage plays as a stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze who gives up his soul to become a hellblazing vigilante, to fight against power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself. Beside Cage the cast also includes black hunk Idris Elba and British thespian Ciaran Hinds.

SPYING ON GOLDEN GLOBES

So, how do you like the GOLDEN GLOBE 2012 nominations? I'm sure you've seen the whole list. A rather boring one, if I may say. But I'm happy that Glenn
Close has been nominated for ALBERT NOBBS, Meryl Streep for THE IRON LADY and Viola Davis for THE HELP in the best actress category. Michael Fassbender is finally nominated for SHAME, hope he wins among some truly bad rivals. Our beloved ladies Charlize Theron in YOUNG ADULT, Kate Winslet (who is also in the run as mini series actress) in CARNAGE and Michelle Williams in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN are in the run for best comedy actress. Lovely PUSS IN BOOTS and ARTHUR CHRISTMAS are competing for best animated flick. Kenneth Branagh in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN and Viggo Mortensen in A DANGEROUS METHOD are in the run for best supporting actor. I'm shocked that painfully morbid AMERICAN HORROR STORY is nominated

for best TV show (if they went for horror why didn't they chose THE WALKING DEAD?) and that Jeremy Irons is nominated for best TV actor for THE BORGIAS, even though that is obviously one of his most uninspired roles and he is the weakest link in that cast.

The second trashy trailer for today is for the film which really is trashy since it brings back all of the trashiest action stars ever. It's Sylvester Stallone's THE EXPENDABLES 2 in which the action team is reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists

the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for the band of old-school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time - six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium; enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that's nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother. That is done the Expendables way. The cast includes all possible action star names from the previous decades: Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren alongside younger stars Liam Hemsworth, Jason Statham and even Novak Djokovic.

And, please, don't forget to vote for HOLLYWOOD SPY in Movie411BlogAwards, especially in Gold Blog category (it's at the bottom of the voting page) in which I'm currently losing, don't let it happen, people :)

NEW TRAILER FOR EWAN MCGREGOR'S "PERFECT SENSE"! SAOIRSE RONAN GOES WW2 IN "HOW I LIVE NOW"! SCARY JACKAL FROM VIN DIESEL'S "RIDDICK"! REMAKE OF "BONNIE AND CLYDE" HAS ITS CAST

2011-12-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Young Irish star Saoirse Ronan didn't get a role in THE HOBBIT, but she keeps getting some other ones. Beside playing the lead

in Andrew Niccol's sf film THE HOST as a girl whose soul is invaded by an alien, giving her voice in animated flick JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHT OF VALOUR, and playing a vampire in Neil Jordan's BYZANTIUM, she will now also star in HOW I LIVE NOW. As "Variety" reports she will portray Daisy, a teenage girl from New York City who travels to England to spend the summer with family in the English countryside. When World War II breaks out and insurgents invade, Daisy and a younger girl named Piper must survive alone in the woods as they try to make it to safety. The film will be based on a novel by Meg Rosoff.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

According to "Variety" yet another film to get its remake is THE STORY OF BONNIE AND CLYDE, with young and hot

Sean Faris (LIFE AS WE KNOW IT, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES) and Lindsay Pulsipher (TRUE BLOOD) taking the roles originally played by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. The new film aims to explore many aspects of the lives of the Depression era bank robbers that have never been seen on the big screen before. As you've probably noticed financial crises is all around us, and Hollywood isn't immune to it either. Many projects are suffering cutbacks in their budgets or are being put on hold (ARTHUR & LANCELOT epic and sf AKIRA are the latest to be postponed) and Vin Diesel's RIDDICK is also having similar problems. He is really straining his muscles to find enough financing for the third part in his famous sf saga which

will again star Karl Urban and himself, and he keeps releasing concept art pics in order to raise the interest. The latest one is a really scary concept art of the jackal, one of the beasts Riddick will have to fight against.

After yesterday's trailermania, the only new clip I have for you today is the second trailer for unusual apocalyptic romantic

drama and thriller, everything in the mix, PERFECT SENSE in which brilliant Ewan McGregor is, unfortunately, matched with always one-dimensional Eva Green in the story about two strangers who form a desperate romantic connection and fall in love with each other while their city is facing an apocalyptic epidemic of sensory loss in which people lose sight, smell, hearing... one by one. Will they lose love too, without their senses? The film is directed by David Mackenzie who worked previously with Ewan on YOUNG ADAM, a film mostly remembered for Ewan sporting his naked willy in at least half of the scenes :)

TRAILERS FOR 2ND SEASON OF "GAME OF THRONES", "G.I. JOE 2: RETALIATION" WITH DWAYNE JOHNSON, BRUCE WILLIS, CHANNING TATUM & "ROCK OF AGES" MUSICAL WITH CATHERINE ZETA JONES & TOM CRUISE

2011-12-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

I guess we shall have a trailer day today, since I have three brand new clips to show you. The Cold Winds Are Rising, that's the title of the fresh new trailer that HBO has aired this weekend for the

anxiously awaited second season of their super popular epic series GAME OF THRONES which should be broadcast next April in ten episodes. Beside the old characters from the Stark family

members, John Snow, khaleesi Daenerys and Cersei Lannister the new trailer introduces Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dilliane), the brother of the late King Robert (Mark Addy) who announces the

fight for the Iron Throne in a very dramatic way. The second season has just finished its 140 days shoot in Ireland and part of it was shot at Croatian seaside as well.

G.I. JOE 2: RETALIATION

The second one is a super exciting trailer for upcoming adventure action G.I. JOE 2: RETALIATION. To hit cinemas in the middle of next year's summer season in July, the film will bring back

Channing Tatum from the successful first film alongside two action stars Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis, but this time, the film is not directed by marvelous Stephen Sommers but by Jon M. Chu and I guess it's not a good sign that he only directed musical films before like STEP UP 2 and 3, and Justin Bieber's NEVER SAY NEVER :) But when it comes to the story, in the sequel, the G.I. Joe team faces off against Zartan, his accomplices, and the world leaders he has under his influence. Channing plays Captain Duke again, Ray Park is Snake Eyes, Adrianne Palicki is Lady Jaye, Arnold Vosloo is Zartan, Dwayne is Roadblock, while Willis appears as Joe Colton, the original G.I. Joe.

ROCK OF AGES

The third freshly released trailer is for next year's musical ROCK OF AGES and judging from the clip, it's something I will definitely

skip, although I did love Catherine Zeta Jones in it. Playing a charming villain, she appears in the film next to Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Mary J. Blige, Will Forte, and two young faces Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta in the story which revolves around two people who meet at the Sunset Strip club ROCK OF AGES, fall in love and try to stay together amid '80s rock anthems. This also means that the film will be filled with famous rock songs from the 80's. If your ears can handle that music, and if your eyes can handle Tom Cruise rocking with a wig on his head :) The film hits cinemas next June.

And, please, don't forget to visit Movie411BlogAwards to vote for your HOLLYWOOD SPY in Gold Blog (bottom of the page) and Gossip Blog (in the middle) categories :) You know me loves you :) And vote for our dear Mel in the Sexy category too :)

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON STARZ' "SPARTACUS: VENGEANCE" EPIC SHOW WITH LIAM MCINTYRE AND LUCY LAWLESS

2011-12-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

Are you excited, are you excited? :) The premiere of the second season of one of the most popular epic TV shows SPARTACUS:
VENGEANCE is just around the corner, ready to air at Starz on January 27th. After SPARTACUS BLOOD AND SAND, which has already become a cult show bringing revolutionary visual changes to television programmes, and the dramatic prequel SPARTACUS GODS OF ARENA, all is set for young Liam McIntyre to take over the lead role and shine in VENGEANCE. Check out the exciting clip bellow which presents the first three opening minutes of the first episode. Throughout the post you can also check out beautiful character pictures and posters for the exciting new season!

STORY OF VENGEANCE

On the heels of the bloody escape from the House of Batiatus that concluded SPARTACUS BLOOD AND SAND, the gladiator rebellion continues and begins to strike fear into the heart of the Roman Republic in SPARTACUS VENGEANCE. Gaius Claudius Glaber (Craig Parker) and his Roman troops are sent to Capua

to crush the growing band of freed slaves that Spartacus (Liam McIntyre) leads before it can inflict further damage. Spartacus is presented the choice of satisfying his personal need for vengeance against the man that condemned his wife to slavery and eventual death or making the larger sacrifices necessary to keep his budding army from breaking apart.

Containing all of the blood-soaked action, exotic sexuality, and villainy and heroism that has come to distinguish the series, the tale of Spartacus resumes in epic fashion at the beginning of 2012.

SPARTACUS TIDBITS

The second season will have ten episodes like the first one. Beside Liam McIntyre, who is replacing Andy Withfield, who died earlier this summer from cancer, and Craig Parker, one of New Zealand's best actors whom we also watched in LORD OF THERINGS

as the Elven general and in LEGEND OF THE SEEKER as Darken Rahl, the second season also brings back brilliant and spectacular Lucy Lawless as ambitious Lucretia, who has managed to survive the shocking bloodbath finale in the ludus in which she lost her husband and her baby, so now she is seeking revenge, not only from Spartacus and her lover Crixus who tried to kill her, but also

from Glaber's flimsy wife Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) who had left her locked in the House of Batiatus to die. Dustin Clare returns as Gannicus after his successful lead role in GODS OF ARENA, Peter Mensah returns as Oenomaus, Manu Bennett as Crixus trying to find his beloved Naevia, Daniel Feuerriegel as Agron, Nick Tarabay as Ashur, Katrina Law as Mira who is still faithful to

Spartacus. Liam has apparently gained 20 kilos in muscle in preparations for the role. Aidan Turner, Dominic Purcell and Wentworth Miller were all in the run for the lead role. The third season has already been ordered by Starz even before the start of the second season next year. This is their first original show to survive and get its second season.

LOVELY TRAILER FOR ZAC EFRON'S "THE LUCKY ONE"! GREAT PLOTS IN "WHAT HAPPENED TO MONDAY?" & "HORNS"! MATTHEW GOODE "DANCING ON THE EDGE". ROBIN WILLIAMS IS "THE ANGRIEST MAN IN BROOKLYN"

2011-12-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

We do like Robin Williams, yes? He was great in so many different roles, from the legendary comedy ones as in MRS. DOUBTFIRE to more serious ones as in ONE HOUR PHOTO and

INSOMNIA. It seems he is having another serious project now: according to "Filmofilia" he might take the lead role in THE ANGRIEST MAN IN BROOKLYN, which centers on a man who finds out he’s suffering from a severe case of cancer that leaves him with only an hour and a half of his life left to live. One of my favourite actors Matthew Goode (LEAP YEAR, WATCHMEN, BURNING MAN, A SINGLE MAN) will star in BBC's series DANCING ON THE EDGE, which, set in the 1930's, follows a band of black jazz musicians as they find fame amongst the parties and performances of London’s upper class society. But when the band becomes entangled in their shadowy world, it results in a suspected murder. The five part series will also star Jacqueline Bisset and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the interesting stories from "Variety" this week mentions a Hollywood debut of Norwegian director Morten Tyldum who will helm a rather interesting sf movie WHAT HAPPENED TO MONDAY? which has an

extremely intriguing plot, which even ended up on famous the Black list in 2010 (the list of most promising, still not produced, scripts). The story of the film will revolve around identical septuplet brothers, who try to remain hidden in a futuristic world where each family is only allowed one child. An equally unusual script awaits us in HORNS, which just got its director in Alexandre Aja. Based on Joe Hill novel, the film will follow Shia LaBeouf as a 26-year-old man who wakes up one morning with an enormous hangover, and discovers horns are growing out of his head. He becomes convinced that the horns have something to do with the unsolved murder of his girlfriend.

A week or so ago, I've mentioned a new movie adaptation of one of Nicholas Spark's novels, and now here's the first, rather charming, trailer for THE LUCKY ONE. The film follows U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) who returns from his

third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive -a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Learning her name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm. Although I didn't like him before, I must admit I like how Zac Efron is maturing into a nice actor with a very warm charisma.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON ARABIAN EPIC "BLACK GOLD" WITH ANTONIO BANDERAS, MARK STRONG, TAHAR RAKIM, FREIDA PINTO

2011-12-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

We don't often get to watch epic films set in exotic locations, but this December (in US, November in Europe) will bring us a chance to watch one such movie - BLACK GOLD, lavish Arabian drama telling the story of the birth of modern Arabian kingdom. The film is directed by famous French director Jean Jacques Annaud famous for ENEMY AT THE GATES, SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, THE NAME OF THE ROSE...

BLACK GOLD STORY

The story starts with victorious Nesib (Antonio Banderas), Emir of Hobeika, who lays down his peace terms to his rival Amar (Mark Strong), Sultan of Salmaah. The two men agree that neither can lay claim to the area of no man’s land between them called The Yellow

Belt. In return, Nesib will adopt Amar’s two boys Saleeh (Akin Gazi) and Auda (Tahar Rahim) as a guarantee that neither man can invade the other.
Twelve years later, Saleeh and Auda have grown into young men alongside Nesib's daughter princess Leyla who will later on share love with prince Auda. Saleeh, the warrior, itches to escape his gilded cage and return to his father’s land. Auda cares only for

books and the pursuit of knowledge. One day, their adopted father Nesib is visited by an American from Texas. He tells the Emir that his land is blessed with oil and promises him riches beyond his wildest imagination.

Nesib immediately imagines a realm of infinite possibility, a kingdom with roads, schools and hospitals all paid for by the black gold beneath the barren sand. There is only one problem. The precious oil is located in the Yellow Belt.

The stage is now set for an epic showdown for control of the Yellow Belt, for control of the two kingdoms, for control of the future. The film then focuses on prince Auda who becomes a warrior who fights to unite the warring desert tribes. Torn between two fathers and

two kingdoms, he is joined in his quest for a better future by the beautiful Princess Leyla through a love that began in their childhood. Together with Prince Auda, she will come to represent the new Arab world: young, dynamic and hungry for progress.

BLACK GOLD TIDBITS

The story of the film is based on the book "Black Thirst" by Hans Ruesch. With the budget of $55 million BLACK GOLD is the

most expensive movie related to Arabia ever since famous LAWRENCE OF ARABIA from 1962. The first reviews praise the performances by Tahar Rahim, Mark Strong and Akin Gazi, while Freida Pinto, as usually, got bad critics which state that she is again being expressionless and cold. The music in the film is composed by famous James Horner who already worked with Annaud on THE NAME OF THE ROSE and on ENEMY AT THE GATES. It is interesting that the film wasn't shot in Arabia but in Qatar and Tunisia.

GREAT NEW TRAILERS FOR "BATTLESHIP" WITH TAYLOR KITSCH & ALEXANDER SKARSGARD & "WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING" WITH JENNIFER LOPEZ & CAMERON DIAZ! 8 TIME OSCAR WINNER ALAN MENKEN MAKING MUSIC FOR "MIRROR MIRROR"

2011-12-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

Guess what? I have two new trailers for you today. First, here's a new clip for sf adventure BATTLESHIP which will open the summer season next year. With a rather hot cast including Taylor Kitsch,
Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker and Liam Neeson (alongside truly horrid Rihanna), this is a typical huge action packed summer blockbuster, a movie adaptation of the famous board game, in which, in an epic-scaled action adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land, our planet fights for survival against a superior force. The film will mostly follow the crew of one of US's naval ships which comes upon magnificent and super scary alien ships hiding in the ocean. Check out the stunning trailer and the new poster.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

According to "MovieWeb" one of our most awaited next year films MIRROR MIRROR, Tarsem's take on the Snow White tale with Lily Collins, Armie Hammer, Sean Bean and Julia Roberts, will, beside mindblowing sets, costumes and cinematography, also have some great music, since it will be composed by Alan Menken who won 8 Oscars so far including the ones for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, POCAHONTAS,ALADDIN, LITTLE MERMAID.

According to the latest rumors, Ben Kingsley could join his HUGO co-star little Asa Buttefield one more time, since he was offered the role of a legendary war hero who was presumed to be dead in ENDER'S GAME, a sf flick about a brilliant young gamer who helps the army fight off an attack of some dangerous insectlike race on the futuristic Earth.

The second trailer for today is for a comedy which premieres next May and which is basically a movie adaptation of the famous 16 million copy best selling book, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING. It is being described as an ensemble romantic comedy in the vein of beloved classics LOVE ACTUALLY

and VALENTINE'S DAY. The film is a modern look at love through the eyes of four interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn't always deliver what's expected. The cast includes stunning ladies Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Brooklyn Decker, Elizabeth Banks, and a bunch of deadly hunks Rodrigo Santoro, Matthew Morrison, Chace Crawford, Joe Manganiello alongside Dennis Quaid and Chris Rock....

MERYL STREEP SHINES IN 3RD TRAILER FOR "THE IRON LADY"! 1ST TRAILER FOR "MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED"! HELEN MIRREN & ANTHONY HOPKINS IN "ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE MAKING OF PSYCHO"! EDGAR RAMIREZ VILLAIN IN "STAR TREK2"?

2011-12-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

I've got two trailers for you today, and the 1st one is for delightful animated movie MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED. Hitting cinemas next June, the crazy flick brings back the adorable characters Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe who are still fighting to get home to

their beloved Big Apple Zoo and of course, King Julien, Maurice and always ready and well prepared Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent - Madagascar style. As in the previous installments of the successful saga, the voice cast includes Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer and Chris Rock.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Here's another interesting duo: Helen Mirren has just joined Anthony Hopkins in ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE MAKING OF PSYCHO which will describe how the famous

director made his famous film even though no studio wanted to take part in it. Mirren will play his wife. After Benicio del Toro didn't get the villain role in STAR TREK II, since he overrated himself by asking too much money, "Variety" reports that the producers now want Edgar Ramirez for the role which could be the character of the famous Khan. He will test for the role today or tomorrow via Skype since the shooting starts in a few weeks. As you know he is also starring in WRATH OF THE TITANS where he plays God of War Ares, and in interesting film A MONKEY ON MY SHOULDER next to Juliette Binoche.

And the second trailer for today is actually the third one for Meryl Streep's THE IRON LADY, which premieres at the end

of December ready to bring her her hundredth, well deserved, Oscar nomination :) Directed by not so talented Phyllida Lloyd (MAMMA MIA) the film will see Meryl's masterful portrayal of the infamous British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in a surprising and intimate portrait of the first and only female Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. One of the 20th century’s most infamous and influential women, Thatcher came from nowhere to smash through barriers of gender and class to be heard in a male dominated world. The cast also includes brilliant Jim Broadbent as Thatcher's husband.

CHARMING TRAILER FOR "THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT" WITH EMILY BLUNT & JASON SEGEL! ARMIE HAMMER & ERIC BANA IN "BY VIRTUE FALLS"! "ARABIAN NIGHTS" WITH LIAM HEMSWORTH & ANTHONY HOPKINS TO SHOOT NEXT SUMMER! TOM WILKINSON & HELENA BONHAM CARTER IN "LONE RANGER'

2011-12-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

Action thriller, which I've mentioned a couple of times before during the casting process, BY VIRTUE FALLS has just got its lead star: as "Deadline" writes today, young Armie Hammer, whom you've seen in THE SOCIAL NETWORK and who is playing the prince in Tarsem's MIRROR MIRROR, will now play a former ATF agent who is framed for a crime he didn't commit by his former partner. Coming out of the jail he seeks revenge. His partner will be played by Eric Bana, and the two of them will also be joined by James Spader, Carla Gugino and Ryan Phillippe. As you know, Armie first has to shoot LONE RANGER in which he stars next to Johnny Depp, before he starts working on this one.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Speaking of LONE RANGER, beside Armie and Depp, the cast is getting bigger these days, with Tom Wilkinson signed in as

villain, and the director Gore Verbinski is also negotiating currently with Helena Bonham Carter to accept one of the female roles in the movie adaptation of famous comic hero. According to "Variety" ARABIAN NIGHTS is moving on with the pre production, and the shooting of the exotic epic should start next summer in Kazakhstan, the country which offered to put in $10 million to the film's budget of $70 million. As you know from previous reports, the new movie on famous 1001 Arabian Nights will be directed by Chuck Russell (THE SCORPION KING) and will have Thor's little brother Liam Hemsworth and Thor's daddy Anthony Hopkins in the lead roles :)

Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for their new comedy THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT which is ready to be released next

April. With brilliant British beauty and one of the best actresses of the young generation Emily Blunt and one of television's favourite and most beloved comedians Jason Segel in the leading roles, this lovely movie is a couple comedy that charts the five-year engagement of a man and his fiancee, following the ups and downs of their relationship. The cast also includes British comedian Rhys Ifans (who will also have two big roles in two big upcoming films SKYFALL James Bond and THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN) and Chris Pratt and is directed by Nick Stoller (GET HIM TO THE GREEK, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL).

SCARY 2ND TRAILERS FOR LIAM NEESON'S "THE GREY" & "THE RAVEN" WITH LUKE EVANS & JOHN CUSACK! TREND OF BIBLE FILMS IN HOLLYWOOD: "CHRIST THE LORD: OUT OF EGYPT"

2011-12-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

I've got 2 trailers for you today, the 1st one is a new British trailer for period thriller THE RAVEN. Shot last winter in Serbia, the gritty thriller starts when a mother and daughter are found brutally murdered in 19th century Baltimore, and detective Emmett Fields

(Luke Evans) makes a startling discovery: the crime resembles a fictional murder described in gory detail in the local newspaper– part of a collection of stories penned by struggling writer and social pariah Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack). But even as Poe is questioned by police, another grisly murder occurs, also inspired

by a popular Poe story. Realizing a serial killer is on the loose using Poe’s writings as the backdrop for his bloody rampage, Fields enlists the author’s help in stopping the attacks. But when it appears Poe's fiancee (Alice Eve) may become the murderer’s next victim, the stakes become even higher and the inventor of the detective story calls on his own powers of deduction to try to solve the case before it’s too late. The film premieres next March.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Have you noticed the almost crazy trend of upcoming Biblical films in Hollywood? Preparing for production we already have Moses epic GODS AND KINGS at Warner Bros, Darren Aronofsky's epic on NOAH, then two films on King David DAY OF WAR and GOLIATH with Dwayne Johnson and Taylor Lautner, UNHOLY NIGHT on the 3 Wisemen, crazy Mel Gibson is making his own epic JUDAH MACCABEE, and there's also MARY MOTHER OF CHRIST with Camilla Belle, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Wentworth Miller. And Alex Proyas and

Bradley Cooper are making PARADISE LOST action packed epic. I'm sure I missed to name a few. Now, the new one in this long list is CHRIST THE LORD: OUT OF EGYPT (what a clumsy title). According to "Variety" Chris Columbus has just bought movie rights on this book by Anne Rice which follows Jesus Christ at seven years of age as he travels from Egypt to Nazareth in search of his true purpose in life. They want to make a cinematic classic for all ages out of this one.

And the 2nd clip I have for you today is the second trailer for ultra exciting and rather frightening action thriller THE GREY in which Liam Neeson,

in the lead role, leads a team of oil drillers who survive a plane crash and fall in the middle of a snow covered mountain only to find themselves stuck in a blizzard with a pack of hungry beasts on their trail. Battling mortal injuries and merciless weather, the survivors have only a few days to escape the icy elements – and a vicious pack of rogue wolves on the hunt – before their time runs out. Premiering this January (what a wonderful time for the film), the film also stars Dermot Mulroney and James Badge Dale and one of them gets devoured by the crazed wolves, but you will have to watch the film to see which one exactly.

THRILLING TRAILER FOR GUY PEARCE'S SF "LOCKOUT"! "STARSHIP TROOPERS" GETTING A REMAKE? "HOW TO LIVE SAFELY IN A SCIENCE FICTIONAL UNIVERSE" FILM! FELICITY JONES IS RALPH FIENNES' "THE INVISIBLE WOMAN"

2011-12-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, since pretty much everything is getting a remake in Hollywood, why not STARSHIP TROOPERS too? According to "NY Magazine", the writers of X-MEN: FIRST CLASS have been hired to pen the script for the remake of Paul Verhoeven's sf classic

from the 90's. As you probably remember, the original film was quite a successful satire on the militarism and colonialism in modern society based on the books by Robert Heinlein. The book itself was rather controversial describing a futuristic society in which the only way to reach a privileged citizen status is to join the army and go fighting some alien bugs around the universe. Unlike the book, which also had traces of fascism and racism, the film was more successful in ridiculing and mocking modern society's tendency to take wars and killings for granted. The image in the post is the cover of the Serbian edition which yours truly translated last winter.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

According to "The Hollywood Reporter" famous director Chris Columbus has bought the rights for the film adaptation of novel HOW TO LIVE SAFELY IN A SCIENCE FICTIONAL UNIVERSE by Charles Yu. The story in this book revolves

around Charles Yu, a time travel machine repairman who has spent the past ten years spanning the decades in search of his father. When he falls into a potentially disastrous time loop, he must find a way to save the entire universe. I've recently mentioned that Ralph Fiennes is preparing THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, but it's not what you think :) It's a story of Charles Dickens' mistress who will now be played by Felicity Jones. Based on the book by Claire Tomalin, the film will depict the secret affair between Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan. Ralph Fiennes will take the lead role and will also direct the period movie.

The first trailer for new sf film LOCKOUT has been released today. As you remember from HOLLYWOOD SPY's previous reports, the film produced by famous Luc Besson was shot last winter in Serbia and the story is set in outer space with Guy Pearce playing a man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. He is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter (Maggie Grace) who is held hostage in an

outer space prison that orbits 50 miles above the earth and is home to 500 of the most dangerous violent criminals on the planet who have taken it over. The film has two directors - Stephen St. Leger and James Mather, and is produced by Besson's "Europa Corp" studio, while their partner in Serbia is "Work In Progress" company which has worked on Ralph Fiennes' movie CORIOLANUS and THE BROTHERS BLOOM with Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody which were also shot in Serbia. The budget of the film was around $30 million.

I had thought I wouldn't run for the second year in TheMovie411BlogAwards, which attracted hundreds of blogs last year, because I wanted to leave the arena for other fighters, but they've informed me people have still been voting for me this year too, so please be charming as you are and pop over there and vote for HOLLYWOOD SPY in Best Gossip and Gold Blog categories :) You can vote till December 18th! Thank you, dear people!

GREAT CHARACTER POSTERS FOR "JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND"! "DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE" FILM ADAPTATION! "UNHOLY NIGHT" EPIC ON THREE WISEMEN! MARION COTILLARD IS MORGANA IN "ARTHUR & LANCELOT"?

2011-12-04T15:00:00.000-08:00

Good news of the day is that Marion Cotillard has apparently been offered the role of Morgana, Arthur's evil half-sister who

deals with magic plotting to take over the throne of Camelot, in the upcoming epic with a new twist ARTHUR & LANCELOT in which Kit Harington from GAME OF THRONES plays the king and Joel Kinnaman from THE KILLING plays his first knight while Gary Oldman could possibly play the role of the wise wizard Merlin. Hopefully, Cotillard will bring more sensuality and beauty to the role of Morgana after Eva Green basically raped the character in highly unsuccessful CAMELOT show portraying her as a wild psycho with morbid one-dimensional facial expressions and nothing much else.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Writer Seth Graham Smith doesn't really have luck with the doomed film adaptation of his PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES, but

according to "MovieWeb" he has sold movie rights on his other book UNHOLY NIGHT which brings a new spin to yet another Biblical story to be turned into a film in the recent future. The story of the novel apparently puts a new innovative twist to the timeless Three Wisemen of the Nativity giving it an action adventure tone. But if you prefer action to Bible, there's PAWN, an action film which premieres in 2013 and revolves around petty robbery which spirals into a tense hostage situation after three gunmen hold up a diner that's a front for the mob. The interesting cast includes Michael Chiklis, Sean Faris, Forest Whitaker, Nikki Redd and Ray Liotta. You know I'm strongly opposed to modern YA books which usually

present horrid and dangerous messages to kids, but Hollywood obviously doesn't mind, and the latest in the long list of such novels to get a film adaptation will be DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor. Paramount wants to make a lavish franchise out of this story which centers on Karou, a 17-year-old girl who is sent across the world by her wicked father to collect human teeth, for unexplained reasons. When she meets an angel named Akiva in Marrakesh, Karou comes to learn the true nature of her family and the creatures that are not of this world which fill up her sketchbook.

We've recently had the pleasure of seeing the first, rather exciting and beautiful trailer for JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, the sequel to the famous blockbuster which hits cinemas next February . Today, I have four absolutely brilliant and beautiful character posters for the film which begins when young

adventurer Sean (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from his grandfather (Michael Caine) from a mysterious island where no island should exist - a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new

stepfather (Dwayne Johnson) joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.

HOLLYWOOD SPY SPOTLIGHT ON HEARTWARMING FILMS "BIG MIRACLE" WITH DREW BARRYMORE & JOHN KRASINSKI & "WE BOUGHT A ZOO" WITH MATT DAMON & SCARLETT JOHANSSON

2011-12-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

Winter is here, snow is coming along with the frost, ice and fog, so are you in the mood for some films which will warm both your hearts and bodies?

Check out the spotlight on two heartwarming movies which premiere this winter.

BIG MIRACLE

Hitting cinemas this February in the middle of cold winter is a heart warming and positively inspiring film BIG MIRACLE which tells the amazing true tale of a small town news reporter (John Krasinski) and a Greenpeace volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who are joined by rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle. With time running out, they must rally an unlikely coalition of Inuit natives, oil companies and Russian and American military to set aside their differences

and free the whales. As the world's attention turns to the top of the globe, saving these endangered animals becomes a shared cause for nations entrenched against one another and leads to a momentary thaw in the Cold War. The cast also includes Dermot Mulroney, Kristen Bell, Ted Danson and Serbian actor Stefan Kapicic. Check out the brilliant poster and equally brilliant trailer. You will need tones of tissues for this one!

WE BOUGHT A ZOO

Another heartwarming flick which features an inspiring story and adorable animals is WE BOUGHT A ZOO, which is actually based on a memoir by Benjamin Mee, in which he tells the true account of how the author and his family used their life savings to buy

a dilapidated zoo, replete with 200 exotic animals facing destruction, in the English countryside. Mee, along with his children, had to balance caring for his wife, who was dying of brain cancer, with dealing with escaped tigers, raising endangered animals, working with an eclectic skeleton crew and readying the zoo for a reopening. The cast is quite strange for a heartwarming movie since it features two extremely cold and expressionless actors in the lead roles - Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson (I've no idea why they didn't take Amy Adams or Rachel McAdams who were in the run for the role, while Ben Stiller was in for the lead male role), and has an equally cold and monotonous director Cameron Crowe (we've all dozed off while watching his VANILLA SKY, ELIZABETHTOWN or JERRY MAGUIRE) but we shall turn a blind eye on that :)

MICHAEL FASSBENDER IS "NOAH"! TOM CRUISE IN SF EPIC "WE MORTALS ARE"! ALICE EVE OR TERESA PALMER TO JOIN "STAR TREK"? 1ST PICS FROM "WRATH OF THE TITANS" & "HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS"

2011-12-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, these are certainly good news. You remember that earlier this summer, I reported on Darren Aronofsky preparing a huge Biblical epic NOAH with a dark twist and with Christian Bale in the lead role. Well as much as I love his talent, I did lose a lot of love for Bale ever since he took the role in that horrid dark knight morbid rubbish,

so it's good news to me that he has apparently given up on the role which could now, according to "Variety" go to Michael Fassbender. The film is set in a world without hope, a world with no rain and no crops, dominated by warlords and their barbarian hordes. In this cruel world, NOAH was a good man. Seasoned fighter, sage and healer but he only wanted peace for him and his family. Yet every night, Noah was beset by visions of an endless flood, symbolizing the destruction of all life. Gradually, he began to understand the message sent him by the Creator. He had decided to punish the men and kill them until the last. But he gave Noah a last chance to preserve life on Earth...

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Beside the original cast from STAR TREK which included Chris Pine, Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and John
Cho, the sequel to the major blockbuster will have some new additions. Apparently there will be a new female character for which Alice Eve (THE RAVEN) and Teresa Palmer (MAD MAX FURY ROAD) are currently testing, and there were also rumors that Benicio Del Toro has been offered the villain role. Entertainment Weekly has published some new pics from next year's blockbusters, and one of them is for WRATH OF THE TITANS, the sequel to the worldwide hit which again stars Sam Worthington as Perseus, alongside Ralph Fiennes as Hades and Liam Neeson as Zeus. The second one is for HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS, a darker version of the famous tale in which little Hansel and Gretel are grown up

and are in the business of witch hunting. They are played by gorgeous Gemma Arterton and weak Jeremy Renner who seems misplaced in this role. The trailer arrives next week.

Ah, that Tom Cruise, it seems all of his craziness and weirdness can't stop him from getting huge new roles. According to "Variety",

after he finishes shooting HORIZONS (in which he plays a futuristic pilot in the world which lives above the contaminated Earth), he will score another huge sf role - it seems that Doug Liman has convinced him to take the lead role in WE MORTALS ARE (formerly known as ALL YOU NEED IS KILL) where he will play a soldier in a war against aliens who finds himself reliving his last day over and over after being killed. Through the training and battles he experiences in these time loops, he becomes a better soldier. The role was previously eyed by Keanu Reeves, Ryan Gosling and Joseph Gordon Levitt.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S SPOTLIGHT ON 2012'S BIGGEST SF EPIC "JOHN CARTER" WITH TAYLOR KITSCH, LYNN COLLINS, MARK STRONG, JAMES PUREFOY, WILLEM DAFOE, DOMINIC WEST, POLLY WALKER...

2011-12-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

It's here, it's here, it's here, the eagerly awaited 2nd trailer for next year's biggest epic film JOHN CARTER has been released today and this means that the marketing campaign for this huge sf blockbuster is finally moving on with some speed. Check the absolutely mind blowing, totally stunning and utterly epic new trailer beneath the spotlight on the film! I swear I couldn't even blink while watching it (about 20 times so far :) This will be the epic adventure of the decade! The net is swept today with positive reactions on the trailer.

JOHN CARTER STORY

This sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars) is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter

(Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he discovers a lush, wildly diverse planet whose main inhabitants are 12-foot tall green barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Dejah Thoris,

Princess of Helium, who is in desperate need of a savior. He will also encounter formidable alien creatures resembling the beasts of ancient myth and he will become reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet,

including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

JOHN CARTER CAST

Now check out the absolutely amazing cast: Taylor Kitsch (John Carter), Lynn Collins (princess Dejah sporting breathtaking costumes in the trailer), Mark Strong (Matai Shang a ruler with

godlike status, you can see him in the trailer with stunning blue eyes), Willem Dafoe (Tars Tarkas, a 10-foot tall, four armed green Martian), James Purefoy (Kantos Kan, the captain of the kingdom of Helium's grand warship), Ciarán Hinds (Tardos Mors), Dominic West (Sab Than, a prince who believes he is entitled to

rule Mars), Polly Walker (merciless and tyrannical lady Sarkoja), Thomas Hayden Church (ambitious and vicious warrior Tal Hajus), Samantha Morton (Sola, Tars Tarkas's daughter, a soft-hearted princess of a violent race), Bryan Cranston ...

JOHN CARTER TIDBITS

This is the first live action film of amazing Oscar winner Andrew Stanton who brought us some of the most touching animated classics from WALL-E, to FINDING NEMO and A BUG'S LIFE.

The number is not official, but it is rumored that this could be one of the most expensive films in history with the budget reaching almost $300 million which means that Disney needs to make it the biggest blockbuster in March 2012 when it premieres in order to bring back all the money! The original name of the film was JOHN CARTER OF MARS, but Disney opted for a shorter name since

films containing word "Mars" in the title, weren't successful at the box office so far. Some of the actors who were considered for the lead role instead of Taylor Kitsch include MAD MEN'S Jon Ham and Josh Duhamel. Robert Rodriguez was the first director to tackle this project with the idea of hiring, now late, Frank
Frazetta as production designer. It is interesting that this film has been in development for the longest time in history - 81 years, since the first idea of a movie adaptation was born back in 1931, when there was a plan to make world's first animated film ever out of it! This is also the first live action film in which Pixar is involved!

HARRISON FORD TO JOIN "ENDER'S GAME"? NOVAK DJOKOVIC IN "THE EXPENDABLES 2"! LEA MICHELE, TAYLOR SWIFT AND SCARJO FIGHT FOR "LES MISERABLES" ROLE! "BONESHAKER" MOVIE ADAPTATION

2011-11-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

As you know, fantasy sagas for teens and kids are, for some strange reason, currently the biggest hit in Hollywood, and beside THE HUNGER GAMES and THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, another

one of these will be ENDER'S GAME. According to "Variety", the movie adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sf novel from the 80's has just got its lead star: little Asa Butterfield (whom you've seen recently in the trailer for Scorsese's HUGO, and before that in BBC's MERLIN) will take the role of a gifted young gamer with an almost preternatural capacity for strategy and logistics who is recruited by the government to help battle an insect-like alien race. It is interesting that Harrison Ford might get the role of Colonel Hyrum Graff, the Commander of Training for the International Fleet, an elite boys' military academy, while little Hailee Steinfeld could get the role of the girl from the Salamander Army. Coming to cinemas in 2013, the film is directed by Gavin Hood (WOLVERINE, TSOTSI).

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Well, the whole world loves Serbia's Novak Djokovic, world's tennis player number one, and it seems he will carry his natural charm and comedic talent to the movie world as well. Apparently

he has visited the sets of THE EXPENDABLES 2 in Bulgaria. He will have a small bad guy role in the movie with the incredible cast which includes Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Liam Hemsworth... As you know the upcoming movie adaptation of famous novel LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo, already has Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne, which means that one of the roles left unoccupied is the one of young Eponine. According to latest rumors actresses currently fighting for this one include Lea Michele from GLEE, country star Taylor Swift and sex bomb Scarlett Johansson. Lea is apparently the top contender so far.

According to "MovieWeb" we shall be watching a movie adaptation of Cherie Priest's fantasy novel BONESHAKER some time in 2013. Nominated for famous Hugo award back in 2010, this

steampunk science-fiction incorporates futuristic innovations into a Victorian setting with the story which is set in an alternate version of 1880s Seattle, where the city has been walled in and a toxic gas has turned many of its remaining residents into "Rotters", more commonly known as zombies. A young widow hunts for her teen son in the Seattle underworld, while dealing with airship pirates, a criminal overlord and heavily armed refugees. The saga has two more books - DREADNOUGHT and GANYMEDE. The whole project is described as Jules Verne meets Resident Evil :)

SHEKHAR KAPUR HELMS "LONDON FIELDS" AND ANNOUNCES WORK ON "ELIZABETH III"! TOM HANKS "IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS"! ZAC EFRON IS "THE LUCKY ONE"

2011-11-29T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of my three most favourite directors in the world, Shekhar Kapur (who brought us three legendary, flawless, deeply moving and stunning epic dramas ELIZABETH, ELIZABETH THE GOLDEN

AGE and THE FOUR FEATHERS) is returning behind the helm after a very long break. According to "The Hollywood Reporter" he will take the director's chair of LONDON FIELDS from equally fantastic Michael Winterbottom. This is basically a movie adaptation of Martin Amis' novel which is narrated by an American writer, Samson Young, living in London who has had writer's block for 20 years and is now terminally ill while other main characters include a psychic woman, Nicola Six, who meets two men in a bar and senses that one of them will murder her on her 35th birthday. But the main piece of news, which made HOLLYWOOD SPY's heart beat a bit

faster :), is that Shekhar is apparently also working on the preparations for the third installment of ELIZABETH, the best historical saga in cinematic history with the unbeatable performance by Cate Blanchett!

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the upcoming films, which my ladies, and those nice people with a tender heart, will surely love is THE LUCKY ONE.

Premiering next April, this is basically a movie adaptation of Nicolas Spark's bestselling novel in which the touching and heartwarming story revolves around a Marine who survives three tours in Iraq. He attributes his good fortune to a photograph he carried of a woman he has never met, and he sets out to meet his good-luck charm when he returns to North Carolina. The cast of the film is lead by Zac Efron, also known as the owner of the best body among Hollywood hunks, who is trying to build up a career of a more serious actor after his teenage escapades in pop films. The film is directed by Scott Hicks who brought us amazing NO RESERVATIONS in which Catherine Zeta Jones gave one of her best performances ever.

One of the main stories today over at "The Hollywood Reporter" was on Universal's film adaptation of IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS, a recent non-fiction bestseller from Erik Larson.

Published this spring, the book brought the true tale of William Dodd, the United States' reluctant and mild-mannered ambassador to Berlin in 1933, and his daughter Martha, a vivacious socialite who had romantic affairs with a Gestapo official and a Soviet spy. Dodd and his family at first naively navigated life in Nazi Germany (Dodd's daughter was excited when Adolf Hitler kissed her hand) but they slowly gained awareness of the mounting brutality around them. The film will be produced by Tom Hanks, and there are gossips that he might take the lead role himself as well.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S BEST AGE DEFYING ACTRESSES ARE MARCIA CROSS AND EMMA THOMPSON. NEW POLL: SECOND PART OF BEST AGE DEFYING ACTRESSES!

2011-11-29T05:18:00.000-08:00

Well, the first part of our latest poll is over and THE BEST AGE DEFYING ACTRESSES are Marcia Cross (26% of your votes) and Emma Thomps (22%), followed by legendary Meryl Streep (15%).

MARCIA CROSS

It's interesting how Marcia Cross managed to become one of the most popular television actresses thanks to one legendary role in DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. Her marvelous, refined and deeply intelligent portrayal of Bri Van De Kamp in the popular show has created one of television's biggest female characters in history. And she really did cover all in that job - the look, the stand, the tiniest of emotions, the style, the voice and even the charisma. And the best thing is that she made the audience fall in love with her character in the show, who, even though sometimes naughty and even sinful, always believes in justice and will fight for it without choosing the methods. Marcia, who turns 50 next year, believe it or not, will have to chose whether to continue a TV or a film career after DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES end this season. I hope she finds some great drama and scores an Oscar, because she really did prove her amazing acting skills on TV already, the skills which brought her 3 Golden Globe and 1 Emmy nominations for best TV actress.

When it comes to tidbits about her - she has a master degree in psychology, which could be the reason why she often plays doctors on TV. Thanks to her refined style she is often named the queen of red carpets. I hope that I don't have to remind you that her name is not pronounced as "Marsha" but "Mar-see-ah"!

EMMA THOMPSON

Well, I think you will agree that we all love British legend Emma Thompson, not only for her acting skills, but also for her witty and honest public remarks about everything. This 52 year old lady

usually takes supporting roles (I think her NANNY MCPHEE roles are the only lead ones she has, but I'm not sure), but usually makes memorable performances. This is why we loved her in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, back in the days when she and Kenneth Branagh were a happy pair before he left her for Kate Winslet, THE REMAINS OF THE DAY, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, in LOVE ACTUALLY, in amazing ANGELS IN AMERICA, and I guess that a lot of you loved her in HARRY PLOPPER saga too. In the future we shall hear her voice in marvelous animated movie BRAVE,

she will play the boss of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in MEN IN BLACK III, and she will star in period drama EFFIE beside Derek Jacobi, Julie Walters and Dakota Fanning.

When it comes to tidbits about her - after divorcing Branagh, she married popular British actor Greg Wise, she definitely is age defying lady since she gave birth to her first kid at the age of 40. She was the first choice for the roles in BASIC INSTINCTS and ANNA AND THE KING, she is the only person in history to win an Oscar both for acting (HOWARD'S END) and for writing (SENSE AND SENSIBILITY).

AGE DEFYING STARS II

Now, since we have more ladies who didn't lose their spirit, looks or charms with age, let us move to the second part of BEST AGE DEFYING ACTRESSES poll. The candidates in the second round are: Glenn Close (ALBERT NOBBS), Jacqueline Bisset (NIP/TUCK), Kim Cattrall (SEX AND THE CITY), Michelle Pfeiffer (STARDUST), Helen Mirren (THE QUEEN), Stockard Channing (THE WEST WING), Michelle Yeoh (THE LADY) and Julianne Moore (THE HOURS). You have three weeks to vote as much as you like.

1ST PICTURES FROM BBC'S "THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS"! TRAILER FOR SF ACTION "THE DARKEST HOUR"! SYFY'S NEW SUPERHERO SHOW "BOOSTER GOLD"

2011-11-28T15:00:00.000-08:00

As you know, beside the big screen adaptation with Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes, famous novel THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS is getting another version, in the form of television series for BBC (it will be aired for USA on PBS in the

spring). The first, rather interesting pictures, have just been released for this project which features Gillian Anderson as crazy Miss Havisham, a rich and insane lady who becomes a secret benefactor of a young orphan Pip, played by handsome Douglas
Booth , who then falls for her emotionless ward Estella and befriends an ex convict Magwitch, played here by Ray Winstone. Judging from these pictures, it seems this one will also have a rather unique visual look.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the new pilots being prepared for SyFy is for a new show based on DC Comics' franchise BOOSTER GOLD.

According to "The Hollywood Reporter" this one-hour superhero drama will follow the adventures of a failed athlete from the future who decides to travel to our present in order to be the greatest superhero of all time. Instead of chasing criminals, though, BOOSTER GOLD would rather chase fame and fortune. Problems arise when he realizes that his future won't exist if he continues to neglect his calling as a costumed vigilante. It is not known if the lead role will go to mega hunky Eric Martsolf who played this character in SMALLVILLE.

One of the films which have been getting quite a strong marketing lately is apocalyptic action film THE DARKEST HOUR which

premieres, rather strangely for its genre, at Christmas. Starring a bunch of young actors Emile Hirsch, Max Minghella, Joel Kinnaman and Rachael Taylor, the film brings the story of five young people who find themselves stranded in the Russian capital Moscow, where they went on a touristic visit but when they came there they found themselves in the wake of a devastating alien attack. In order to survive they have to fight back the aliens. The 3D thriller highlights the classic beauty of Moscow alongside mind-blowing special effects. You might like the trailer, if you can swallow the rather arrogant fact that American youth is saving the day in Russia in the film.

RACHEL WEISZ JOINS COLIN FIRTH IN WW2 EPIC "THE RAILWAY MAN"! HILARIOUS NEW TRAILER FOR "ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT"! "AMELIE"S DIRECTOR JEAN PIERRE JEUNET'S NEW PROJECT!

2011-11-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, there's nothing better than to start your week with some lovely movie news, and these are really good: as "Total Film" reported this weekend, delightful English rose Rachel Weisz has

joined one of Britain's lead actors Colin Firth in powerful and epic WW2 drama THE RAILWAY MAN. Colin Firth is going to play Eric Lomax, a second Lieutenant in the Royal Corp of Signals who was captured in 1942 by the Japanese army in Singapore. He was forced to work on the 'death railway' with hundreds of other prisoners of war. The true story will be based on his life as a POW and his mission to seek revenge years later on those who tortured him. Jeremy Irvine (WAR HORSE, THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS) will play the younger Lomax, while Rachel will play Eric Lomax's second wife. The film will be directed by talented Jonathan Teplitzky who helmed the amazing film BURNING MAN with Matthew Goode.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

In other good film news, we have famous French director Jean Pierre Jeunet, the author of famous films AMELIE and A

VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT and some truly crazy visual masterpieces like DELICATESSEN, THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN and MICMACS, who has a new project! According to "Deadline" he will adapt THE SELECTED WORKS OF T.S. SPIVET by young writer Reif Larsen, which follows the exploits of the flamboyantly named Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet, a twelve-year-old cartographer struggling to cope with the failure of his parent’s marriage and the death of his brother. Seeking solace in intellectual pursuits, he goes on an adventure after receiving a call from the Smithsonian Institute informing him that he has won a prestigious prize. The 3D film should be released sometime in 2013.

I swear I screamed and laughed like crazy watching the latest clip from the upcoming part of the most successful animated franchise ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT! It features poor sabre-toothed squirrel Scrat in his search for the infamous acorn. The

quest takes him deep bellow the sea in some hilarious transfer, and then he ends up at the surface again being captured by some highly unusual and unexpected primordial pirates :) As you know, due to continental drift (caused by poor Scrat in the previous trailer),

Manny, Diego and Sid will get separated from the rest of their group and use an iceberg as a makeshift ship in the fourth installment of the beloved animated saga.

SPOTLIGHT ON "EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE" WITH SANDRA BULLOCK & TOM HANKS, AND "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" WITH TOM CRUISE

2011-11-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

Check out HOLLYWOOD SPY's spotlight on two of the upcoming blockbusters which will hit cinemas at the end of December, premiering this festive season.

GHOST PROTOCOL

If you want your festive season spiced up with some action, you might want to check out MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL. The new film in the series which has grossed $2 billion dollars worldwide, will feature locations in Dubai, Moscow, Prague and Vancouver, and will have the IMF shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name. The cast of this

$140 million worth movie is lead by Tom Cruise, but since there's an idea of him passing the lead role in the franchise onto someone else in the future, there's Jeremy Renner too. They are joined by Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway and Tom Wilkinson. The team also features some Academy Award winners such as director of photography Robert Elswit ("There Will Be Blood"), editor Paul Hirsch ("Star Wars") and visual effects producer Tom Peitzman ("Mission: Impossible III", "Alice in Wonderland"). Brad Bird, the director of the film, is also an Oscar winner as the creator of famous animated films THE INCREDIBLES and RATATOUILLE.

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

One of the films which will try to touch you deeply when you are the most vulnerable (which means exactly at Christmas) is

powerful drama with a long title EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE. Directed by famous genius and amazing Oscar winner Stephen Daldry (THE HOURS, THE READER, BILLY ELLIOT), this movie is actually an adaptation of the bestselling book by Jonathan Safran Foer which follows eleven-year-old Oskar Schell, an exceptional child: amateur inventor, Francophile, pacifist. After finding a mysterious key that belonged to his father, who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11, he embarks on an exceptional journey, an urgent, secret search through the five boroughs of New York. As Oskar roams the city, he encounters a motley assortment of humanity, who are all survivors in their own ways. Ultimately, Oskar's journey ends where it began, but with the solace of that most human experience: love. The cast of the film is lead by Sandra Bullock (looks like a powerful role), Tom Hanks and little Thomas Horn, beside John Goodman, James Gandolfini and Viola Davis.

When it comes to Tom Cruise, he has two films planned for the future: the remake of ROCK OF AGES in which he will star next to Catherine Zeta Jones, and huge sf epic HORIZONS. Jeremy Renner is, as you know, Hawkeye in THE AVENGERS and he is taking another franchise from an older star in THE BOURNE LEGACY. Sandra Bullock has a lot of projects ahead of her, the biggest probably being sf epic GRAVITY with George Clooney.

ONE OF "THE WALKING DEAD" CAST MEMBERS WANTS TO LEAVE THE SHOW? EWAN MCGREGOR MOVES TO TV IN HBO'S "THE CORRECTIONS". BEN WHISHAW IS Q IN "SKYFALL"

2011-11-25T15:00:00.000-08:00

I really don't get the trend of film stars moving to TV in regular shows (we've seen it this year with James Caviezel, Patrick Wilson, and Ashley Judd and Paul Bettany will get their shows next year), but this is a really shocking example: one of the most beloved movie actors Ewan McGregor is also moving to TV.

According to "MovieWeb" he will join HBO's THE CORRECTIONS, in his first regular role in a TV drama. This will be an adaptation of the acclaimed novel of the same name by Jonathan Franzen in which the story traces the lives of a Midwestern couple and their three adult children. Ewan McGregor will play the middle child, a Marxist academic who loses his tenure position after indulging in an affair with a student.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the producers of AMC's mega hit THE WALKING DEAD is preparing a new show. It will be AREA 51, based on Annie Jacobsen's book "Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's

Top Secret Military Base". "Deadline" reports that the show will revolve around two men working at Area 51, who uncover a vast government secret that could jeopardize both their lives. And speaking of THE WALKING DEAD, which is breaking records as the show with the biggest number of countries (more than 130) in which it is aired within the same week, the hottest gossip says that one of the lead cast members wants to leave the show! Nobody knows who it is, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed it's sheriff's horrid wife! The catch is that the cast member changed their mind in the meantime, but it is apparently too late to reverse the granted release.

One of the biggest pieces of movie news in the Thanksgiving aftermath is the latest one from SKYFALL, the latest installment in the James Bond franchise which started shooting this week

directed by Sam Mendes. Apparently, the latest addition to the cast which already includes Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem is young Ben Whishaw whom we mostly remember from his outstanding role in the famous PERFUME. He will now play Q, the head of the armory division of MI6 dubbed Branch Q, who comes up with all of those crazy gadgets for Bond. Not only that he will be the first Q younger than Bond, but he will also be the first Q in almost ten years ever since John Cleese played the character back in DIE ANOTHER DAY. Before that, the character was played for amazing 36 years by Desmond Llevelyn.

And the winner of Samuel Park's bestselling novel THIS BURNS MY HEART in our exclusive giveaway is Melissa Bradley! Congrats, Melsy!

SPOTLIGHT ON INDEPENDENT FILMS HITTING CINEMAS SOON: FANTASTIC "THE DIVIDE", DRAMATIC "YOUNG ADULT", ROMANTIC "NEWLYWEDS"

2011-11-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ah, I know that after eating your Thanksgiving dinner you want a sweet little dessert in the form of some movie treats, but alas, holidays usually mean that there are zero film news out there, so I

will feed you today with some independent films which hit cinemas soon.

THE LUCKY ONES DIE IN THE BLAST

The film which will finally premiere, after quite a long wait (as far as I understood the film got its distributor only after it drew attention with its captivating and highly atmospheric trailer) is apocalyptic thriller THE DIVIDE. To open in early January, and starring Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Biehn and Rosanna Arquette, the film follows nine tenants of a New York building who escape a nuclear attack by hiding out in the building's bunker-like basement. Trapped for days underground with no hope

for rescue, and only unspeakable horrors awaiting them on the other side of the bunker door, the group begins to descend into madness, each turning on one another with physical and psycho-sexual torment. As supplies dwindle, and tensions flare, and they grow increasingly unhinged by their close quarters and hopelessness, each act against one another becomes more depraved than the next. While everyone in the bunker allows themselves to be overcome by desperation and lose their humanity, one survivor holds onto a thin chance for escape even with no promise of salvation on the outside. Check out the trailer, I don't think I've ever seen such an intense one.

NEWLYWEDS CRISES

One of the trailers freshly released today is the one for a comedy drama NEWLYWEDS which hits theaters this Christmas and is directed and produced by ever so charming Edward Burns.

The story follows Buzzy (Edward Burns) and Katie (Caitlin Fitzgerald) a newly married couple living a seemingly conflict-free life. But when Buzzy's damaged and impulsive half-sister Linda (Kerry Bishé) arrives at their doorstep expecting to stay for an indefinite period in their Tribeca loft, her antics threaten to disrupt the couple's commitment to an "easy" marriage. Meanwhile, with Katie's sister Marsha projecting suspicions of her own husband's infidelity onto Buzzy, will the couple's formerly trusting and insulated life be able to withstand the dysfunctions of their respective siblings? We like Ed's New York films, don't we?

A BIT OF BAGGAGE

One of the films which might join the Oscar race next year is Diablo Cody's (JUNO, UNITED STATES OF TARA) bitter sweet drama YOUNG ADULT which hits cinemas December 9th.

The cast of the movie is lead by Academy Award winner Charlize Theron who plays Mavis Gary, a writer of teen literature who returns to her small hometown to relive her glory days and attempt to reclaim her happily married high school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson). When returning home proves more difficult than she thought, Mavis forms an unusual bond with a former classmate (Patton Oswalt) who hasn't quite gotten over high school, either. Reviews of the film usually mention a powerful performance by Charlize Theron who is obviously returning from the dead with roles in PROMETHEUS and SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and this awards contender.

And don't forget that you have one more day to join the giveaway of Samuel Park's THIS BURNS MY HEART novel, and you, who already did that, check the comments again because Sam has left you his comments today :)

STUNNING PICTURE OF MONSTRUOUS APE FROM SF EPIC"JOHN CARTER"! KEN WATANABE TO PLAY COLONEL IN "AKIRA", PAUL DANO & RAMI MALEK IN THE RUN FOR TETSUO! PICTURES FROM RIDLEY SCOTT'S SF EPIC "PROMETHEUS"

2011-11-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of the upcoming movie adaptations which is losing the interest of the audience ever since the casting begun is definitely AKIRA, the sf movie version of popular manga. After losing

some of the big names like Justin Timberlake, Brad Pitt, Zac Efron, Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine and Keanu Reeves and hiring Garrett Hedlund in the lead role, the producers have now lost Gary Oldman (who will probably accept the role of Merlin in ARTHUR & LANCELOT) in the role of the Colonel, which is now being offered to Ken Watanabe. Seems like a doomed project. The story centers on Kaneda (Garrett Hedlund), the leader of a futuristic biker gang who tries to rescue his friend Tetsuo from some military experiments. The role of Tetsuo has also been refused by a lot of actors from James McAvoy to Robert Pattinson and now the producers are apparently choosing among some rather unknown young actors from Paul Dano, Alden Ehrenreich, Michael Pitt and Rami Malek (THE PACIFIC). To make things worse, one of the female roles has apparently being offered to Kristen Stewart and Keira Knightley and I don't know which one is worse.

HOLLYWOOD SPY SF NEWS

Another super mysterious sf project, which is keeping it's plot a secret, is Ridley Scott's sci fi epic PROMETHEUS and "MovieWeb" has posted today the first pictures from the film which

will appear in next week's "Entertainment Weekly". As you can see these are the first images of the space ship crew and of the intriguing giant human head in the middle of the space. As you know the film has quite an interesting cast including Michael
Fassbender (who plays an android in the movie), Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Guy Pearce and Idris Elba and they all star in the story which is connected to Ridley Scott's famous sf classic ALIEN and it is apparently some kind of its prequel. Titled

PROMETHEUS, apparently after the name of the spacecraft used by the space crew, the long awaited sf spectacle should hit cinemas next summer in June in the middle of the blockbuster season.

A spectacular new photo from Walt Disney Pictures upcoming sf epic JOHN CARTER has been released today by "Entertainment Weekly" showing the lead star Taylor Kitsch with some ginormous mega scary Martian ape monster. Pretty powerful, I must admit. One of the most anticipated films in recent few years, JOHN CARTER is still extremely mysterious and with only four months before the premiere of the project, which according to rumors cost almost $300 million, we have seen almost no pics,

no special posters, just one, extremely non-revealing trailer, and no marketing, no buzz, no hype. No one knows what is happening, maybe they are preparing some huge campaign in last few months before the premiere? However, the film deserves all the possible hype since not only that it is directed by amazing directorial genius Andrew Stanton, who brought us classics such as WALL-E, FINDING NEMO, A BUG'S LIFE, but it also features the most amazing cast including Polly Walker, Lynn Collins, Mark Strong, Willem Dafoe, James Purefoy, Ciarán Hinds, Bryan Cranston, Dominic West, Thomas Haden Church, Samantha Morton...Click to read more on the plot.

PS Don't forget to read the interview with Samuel Park bellow and join the giveaway!