Presented without much in the way of comment (well, just a little) is the first trailer for Christopher Nolan’s third, and presumably final, installment in the Batman franchise. This time around the new film is called The Dark Knight Rises and based on this new trailer it looks, in a word, awesome.

We know people use that word often and sometimes it tends to lose its meaning. However, in this case, it fits completely.

The movie looks awesome and like any good trailer you get a lot of info about the movie but don’t really know what’s going to happen in it. If only other trailers could do this, and be as good as this, and not give everything away.

Of course, you can be sure the folks responsible for this film know what they’ve got and know, with absolute certainty, the movie will do huge box office and people will flock to see it over and over again. So, they don’t really have to do that much to promote it. The movie pretty much sells itself.

July 20, 2012 can’t get here fast enough. Check out the trailer after the break.

Continue Reading →

Just when you thought things couldn’t get more bizarre than seeing a film that was originally released in 1994 making #1 in the box office two weeks in a row, how about a film about a dolphin hitting #1 after it’s second week.

That’s right, Warner Bros’ Dolphin Tale managed to pull together $14.2 Million this weekend, bringing it in as the #1 winner for the three days. The film has only hit a total gross of $37.5, just slightly more than its production budget.

In second this week, Brad Pitt’s Moneyball came in with an estimated $12.5. All the while, Lion King in 3D is still creeping up on $100 Million, with an estimated $11 Million this weekend, bringing it to a total of $79.6 for the re-release.

Continue Reading →

It seems, according to this weekend’s box office report, that audiences still aren’t tired of 1994′s Lion King, even 17 years later. The film’s re-release in 3D has made the #1 spot again in two weeks, bringing in $22 million this weekend.

That ranks the film up to over $60 million in 3D, and over $400 million combined with the film’s original domestic total from the 90s. Not too shabby for a film that ripped off a Japanese anime series from the 50s.

The rest of the weekend’s releases weren’t too shabby, either. Brad Pitt’s Moneyball, which almost didn’t get made, pulled in $20.6 million at the #2 spot, while Morgan Freeman’s adventure saving a sea mammal in Dolphin Tale came in 3rd with just over $20.2 million.

The big flops of the weekend came in the form of the #3 and #4 spots. Taylor Lautner’s attempt at being Matt Damon in Abduction brought in $11 million, which is less than a third of the film’s production budget.

All the while, the action-packed Killer Elite, which had a production budget of $70 million, only brought in $9.5. Not a good sign for the DeNiro/Statham/Owen on-screen team.

Next weekend, a few possible sleeper hits with Universal’s Dream House, cancer drama 50/50, and the romantic comedy What’s Your Number?. Who will win? We’ll find out in one week!

Judging from the box office success of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, quite a few of you have already had the chance to see this brand new teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises. However, for those of you who haven’t, or want to watch it again and again, we’ve got it for you right here now.

In it we get our first glimpses of the upcoming final, epic battle between Bruce Wayne’s Batman and Tom Hardy’s Bane. Plus, the teaser sets this up clearly as the third and final chapter of a trilogy that will set Batman on his eventual course to become the true Caped Crusader and Dark Knight.

I don’t have to tell you we’re all pretty excited around here for this movie to come out. Of course, as with endings of this type, it will be bittersweet. Still, can’t wait.

Check out the trailer after the jump. The Dark Knight Rises is directed by Christopher Nolan and features Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It hits theaters on July 20th, 2012.

Continue Reading →

As we get ever closer to the release date of Christopher Nolan’s alleged final film in his Batman franchise, we’re getting more and more of a glimpse into this world once again before it comes to a close.

Rumor has it that the first teaser trailer for the film is attached to prints for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which means we may get some goodies in the coming days. But before we even get that far, the very first “teaser” poster for the film has hit the web, and we’re nothing but excited.

In the poster we can see that Gotham seems to be falling to pieces, which is what we expect to be the setting for the film, as Christian Bale’s Batman makes his public turn into the hero he’s meant to become.

No sign of the film’s full cast, but you may see more of Tom Hardy’s Bane, Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, or Marion Cotillard in the film’s upcoming teaser trailer later this week.

In the meantime, you can check out the poster in gigantic-size right after the jump, and keep it here for more news as it develops of The Dark Knight Rises.

Continue Reading →

First we get the “official” word the the movie is indeed filming. And now, presented without comment, is this first picture of Tom Hardy as Bane from Christopher Nolan’s upcoming third Batman film The Dark Knight Rises. Okay, can’t help it, one comment. It looks pretty great.

Okay, two comments. Can’t wait for this movie. A year is too long.

What do you guys think?

Late yesterday Warner Bros decided to let everyone know “officially” what most of us knew already: The Dark Knight Rises has begun filming. Even though this isn’t really news, it still set off a flurry of discussion around The Flickcast offices about how we’re all really looking forward to this movie.

If you’re in the same boat as we are, this press release from the studio should at least, for a few moments, distract you a little until you again realize that even though the movie has started filming, we won’t actually see the finished product until July 20th, 2012.

Yes, that’s over a year away. Bummer.

Check out the full press release right here:

BURBANK, CA, May 19, 2011 – Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ The Dark Knight Rises, the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

Continue Reading →

We’ve heard names like Kevin Costner for Jonathan Kent and Viggo Mortensen for General Zod being thrown around for Zack Snyder’s upcoming reboot of the Superman franchise, but they are not for sure yet. However, we do officially have another name to add to the cast alongside Henry Cavill as the title character. That name? Diane Lane, who is now set to play Clark Kent’s mom, Martha Kent.

The news was broken by THR late yesterday.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures said late Wednesday that the actress is set as “the only mother Clark Kent has ever known.”

“This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman,” Snyder said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination.”

Considering names like Phyllis Thaxter, K Callan, and Eva Marie Saint have played the character in the past, we’re expecting Snyder to take a drastic turn with Martha, as Lane is only 56. Lane is the second name to be cast in the film, after word came in earlier this year that The Tudors star Henry Cavill was to take the lead as the Man of Steel.

Snyder, who’s normally known for casting relative unknowns who pull off amazing performances, seems to be taking to the higher-profile names for this film. Could it be pressure from WB to compete with Nolan’s all-star supporting cast of Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman for the Batman films?

We’re hoping to get some solid casting announcements in the coming weeks that will prove that theory.

Red certainly isn’t an important or groundbreaking film, but it is a lot of fun, and that counts for something in my book.  Sometimes that is exactly what we are seeking out, and this film delivers.  It’s a blast.

Bruce Willis plays Frank Moses, a man who appears to be living a  ho-hum existence  in the suburbs.  He spends his free time convincing a government employee in Kansas City (Sarah, played by a sassy Mary-Louise Parker) that he has not received his government checks.  He is really ripping them up, just so he can call her every few days and talk.  The two have adopted a flirty rapport during their chats.

In a thrilling opening sequence, Frank finds out (rather unexpectedly) that he is being targeted by assassins, and he quickly and efficiently employs a variety of weapons and booby traps to thwart their efforts.  It is clear that this is no ordinary citizen, you see Frank is classified by the CIA as RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous.)

After he has time to get his wits about him, Frank rushes to Kansas City to rescue/kidnap Sarah, because she will be targeted l if the unknown assailants check his phone records.

Continue Reading →

The name of this year’s movie game seems to be massive casting. If Expendables was for the slightly older action star, then Summit Entertainment’s RED is definitely skewing much older in terms of casting.

The film stars Bruce Willis as the leader of the greatest CIA agents ever to go through the agency. The only problem? They’re all over the hill and retired. Willis leads a team of Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren, with folks like Ernest Borgnine and Richard Dreyfuss joining along as well. In order no to alienate the viewers under the age of 50, Mary Louise Parker, Julian McMahon, and Karl Urban fill out the cast.

If the action and casting isn’t enough to warrant your $10, then how about the fact that the film is based on a comic of the same name? Originally written by Warren Ellis, the script comes from the Hoeber brothers, who also brought Whiteout to the silver screen.

We’ve got 5 brand new clips for you to check out after the jump, so be sure to enjoy the action, and catch RED in theaters on October 15th.

Continue Reading →

A brand new trailer for Red, featuring Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, and Mary Louise Parker made its debut at San Diego’s Comic-Con. The film is based on the cult D.C. graphic novels by Warren Ellis and Cully Hammer.

It has been branded as  “an explosive action-comedy.” Mirren, Willis, Freeman and Malkovich play a foursome of retired CIA operatives who are now being framed for assassination, because they know too much.  They must band together and use their combined wit and skills to survive.  They also uncover a massive conspiracy.

Red is directed by Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler’s Wife.) I think it looks like a blast.  Who doesn’t love seeing Helen Mirren toting weapons? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Red is being released by Summit entertainment on October 15. Check out the new trailer after the break.

Continue Reading →

If you’re not familiar with Warren Ellis’ three -issue comic miniseries Red don’t worry. Unless you’re a fan of Ellis (which I am) you may not have seen it before. Regardless of that, Hollywood — and Summit Entertainment in particular — has seen fit to adapt Red for the big screen and we have the first trailer for that adaptation to show you today.

To be honest, this trailer doesn’t really remind me much of the comic. In fact, it almost seems like an entirely different story. Sure, the original miniseries was only three issues so some enhancement had to take place. But this trailer and the movie it represents seems more like a comedy than the balls out action comic about a retired assassin who should have been left alone I remember reading.

Although it does seem quite a bit different, at least to me, I still kinda like it. That’s the problem with adaptations of novels, comics, games or whatever, they don’t usually stay the same way you remember them. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

If changes are made that are simply arbitrary, that’s where I start to have a problem with them.

Having read Red very recently, I’m probably just sensitive to perceived changes. After all, its just a trailer with a whole movie still to come. Guess I should just wait and see.

Does this trailer work for you or is it yet another sub-standard adaptation of a comic to come out this year? Judge for yourself after the jump. Red, which features Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Mary-Louse Parker and Morgan Freeman, opens October 15th.

Continue Reading →