When Universal Studios decided to back out of making three feature films and two limited-run TV series based on Stephen King’s mammoth post-apocalyptic Western The Dark Tower back in July, many thought it was the end of the project. Luckily for fans of the series of books, the partners in the film all pledged they were going to find a way to get a movie made. Now, the films and television series may indeed become a reality thanks to Warner Bros.

According to reports, the company is very close to a deal that will give Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon) the chance to direct at least the first feature. They are also in talks with Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men) about starring as the gunslinger Roland Deschain.

In the story, Roland Deschain is the last living member of a knightly order known as gunslingers and the last of the line of “Arthur Eld”, his world’s analogue of King Arthur. Politically organized along the lines of a feudal society, it shares technological and social characteristics with the American old west but is also magical.

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The casting has not come particularly quick or easy for the Spike Lee directed remake of the Korean thriller Oldboy.

Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men, Men In Black III) locked in as the lead character quite early in the process but the quest for a villain so far has involved names ranging from Christian Bale to  Clive Owen, with even Colin Firth being in the mix. All have passed for various reasons and the search continues.

Filling the role of Brolin’s love interest, Marie, has been an equally difficult task. Both Rooney Mara and Mia Wasikowska have been offered and rejected the part of the female lead role. It is now being reported that the role of Marie has been offered to Elizabeth Olsen.

The film follows an average man who is kidnapped and imprisoned in a shabby cell for 15 years without explanation. He then is released, equipped with money, a cellphone and expensive clothes. As he strives to explain his imprisonment and get his revenge, he soon finds out that his kidnapper has a greater plan for him and is set onto a path of pain and suffering in an attempt to uncover the motive of his mysterious tormentor.

The lesser known Olsen sister, Elizabeth seemingly sprang out of nowhere at Sundance 2011 to become one of America’s most sought after young actresses thanks to parts in the soon to be released Silent House and the under the radar film Martha Marcy May Marlene. With three other projects listed to start in 2013, she’s not going away anytime soon. She’s also got a sizable gap in her schedule before those projects are due to start, which makes this a very plausible option.

After studios going bankrupt, directors walking out, and everyone giving up hope on what would be the 23rd James Bond flick, it looks like things are finally coming together on what could be a huge sequel.

We know that Daniel Craig will be back, and he has recently gone on record as to say that fan favorite bad guy Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men) was in contention with Ralph Fiennes to play the film’s main villain. After an interview with ABC Nightline, it looks like Bardem let slip who the victor of that battle was. From ScreenRant:

For all the secrecy surrounding director Sam Mendes’ (American Beauty) Bond film, the confirmation of Bardem’s casting came pretty casually (irony alert) as the actor sat down to talk to ABC Nightline about more serious matters – like suffering refugees. Of course, most people reading this are probably more interested in the Bond news – said Bardem:

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With all the movies and TV programs out there featuring car chases, shootouts, explosions and more, it’s sometimes nice to watch a movie about two people who just sit and talk. Of course, it helps if the people in question are terrific actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones and what they are saying is written by one of the best writers around, Cormac McCarthy.

To what compelling story am I referring? None other than McCarthy’s play The Sunset Limited, which is now a film coming this weekend from HBO. As I mentioned above, the film features two great actors. It is also based on the McCarthy play, written by him and is directed by Jones.

If, for some reason, you’re not familiar with the story, here’s the highlights:

The story focuses on two very different men – a deeply religious black ex-con (Jackson) who thwarts the suicide attempt of an asocial white college professor (Jones). As the one attempts to connect on a rational, spiritual and emotional level, the other remains steadfast in his hard-earned despair. Locked in a philosophical debate, both passionately defend their personal credos and try to convert the other.

The Sunset Limited premieres on HBO this Saturday, February 12th at 9/8C. In the meantime, check out the preview for this sure to be intense drama after the jump.

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As if we weren’t excited enough when the first trailer for the Coen Brothers’ upcoming remake of True Grit hit last week, a brand new, full-feature trailer has hit the web, and not only does it have more Jeff Bridges as US Marshall Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn, but a killer Johnny Cash tune, and even some kind of man-bear riding a horse.

The film comes from Ethan and Joel Coen, who made their stamp on visually stunning Western-style dramas with No Country For Old Men. The cast is rounded out enough with Bridges leading the charge, filling in the shoes of John Wayne, while Matt Damon and Josh Brolin fill out the supporting cast.

Between this film and his upcoming dual roles in Tron Legacy, it looks like the next year will be pretty big for Jeff Bridges, and could bring him another Oscar for True Grit.

Check out the full trailer for the film after the jump, and catch it in it’s full Western glory in theaters on Christmas Day.

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The newest film from the Coen brothers, A Serious Man, has just hit the internet with it’s first trailer, and it’s already got lots of folks excited. Set in the 1960s, A Serious Man is the story of a man’s life unraveling after his wife decides to leave him because of his deadbeat brother.

Several sources are calling this “trailer of the year” and I’d have to agree. While I don’t quite know what to make of this movie yet, the trailer is edited put together quite well, and we hope that the film will follow in style and innovation.

Written, directed, and produced by Joel and Ethan Coen, the sibling team behind Raising Arizona and No Country for Old Men, the film stars Michael Stuhlbarg (Body of Lies), Simon Helberg (Big Bang Theory), Richard Kind (Spin City), and Adam Arkin (Life).

A Serious Man hits theaters October 9th and you can check out the trailer right after the jump.

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