“Thundercats” Interview Series

ThunderCats is a reboot of the original (1984–1990) series by Ted Wolf. It is produced by Warner Bros. Animation with animation provided by the Japanese Studio 4°C. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens living on the planet Third Earth, and Lion-O’s ascension to the Thunderian throne. The new series began with an hour-long premiere on Cartoon Network on July 29, 2011, with new episodes every Friday. Media Mikes had a chance to interview a few of the voice’s behind the show’s characters. Hope you enjoy these.

THUNDERCATS CAST INTERVIEWS:


Eamon Pirruccello
Larry Kenney
Matthew Mercer

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Movies Tagged With: interview, series, thundercats

Interview with Matt Mercer

Matt Mercer is voicing the character Tygra in the 2011 reboot of “Thundercats”. Matt has also done voice work for animes including “Akira” to “Ninja Scroll” to “Fist of the North Star”. Movie Mikes took out some time to chat with Matt about “Thundercats” as well as his other projects.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get started doing voice work?
Mathew Mercer: I always had a fascination with cartoons and video games growing up. As far back as Mel Blanc, and some of the older cartoons I just loved the characterizations and the ability to perform multiple voices through one person. I never thought it was a viable option for a living let alone a career until about 4 years ago. I was doing a lot of theater and making some network connections and just decided to give it a shot. I left my day job and went to a bunch of classes and workshops where I worked my ass off and lived on top ramen for awhile. I did a lot of hard work and was prepared for opportunities and the rest is history!

MG: Can you tell us about how you got involved with your latest project “Thundercats”?
MM: I had gotten an email from my agent regarding a secret project that no one could talk about even with other actors at the agency but she was having people come in an audition for the project. I saw the word Lion-O on the script and my inner 6 year old started freaking out. I went in and read for Lion-O and Tygra. I kept telling myself that I had to book this and went over the copies a bunch of times. I even went into the booth directors to tell them that they had to help me book this because I needed it! I went in and read for it and gave it my all. I didn’t hear anything for some time and was pretty sure I didn’t get it. I got a call from my agent and she told me they had a new nick name for me at the office. I figured they had just gotten drunk at the last office party and came up with something. They proceeded to tell me that it was Tygra. I did kart wheels like an actual 6 year old and it’s been a wild ride ever since.

MG: Did you go back and re-watch some of the old episodes in preparation?
MM: Oh yeah! I got together with some friends and writing partners and we watched the first six episodes or so. It was a wonderful evening of nostalgia.

MG: You also worked on a number of anime series, can you tell us about that and do you have a current anime series favorite?
MM: Those were some of the first projects I had ever worked on. They really wet my appetite. At the time I was a really big anime fan. Getting to be a part of “Ninja Scroll” and “Akira” to name a few was very fulfilling as a geek. It was a really fun process to be involved with and I met a lot of people that I am still working with today. As far as my favorite anime I am a big fan Hayao Miyazaki’s work as far as films goes. As far as series I would have to go with “Cowboy Bebop”. It has just such great characters and writing. It’s a perfect example of blending styles that you wouldn’t expect together. The music its self made the project. It created its own atmosphere that hasn’t been rivaled since.

MG: Tell us about your work on “Fist of the North Star” and “Akira”. Were those early in your career as well?
MM: Oh yeah. “Akira” was technically the first main character I got to work on. I did a few one off characters like on “Fist of the North Star” where you spent 3 hours shouting till your explodes which was a lot of fun. It roughed the voice up for the next morning. “Akira” was cool because I was a fan of the original film. When I heard they were doing a re-dub with up dated translation I asked the director specifically if I could audition because of my personal interest. Getting to be a part of that was majestic and exciting.

MG: More recently you voiced Stryker in the new “Mortal Kombat” video game. Do you feel working on video games differs from films or television shows?
MM: It very much differs. There is a whole different feel than when you are on camera. When you’re shooting in front of a camera the other actors are there as well as you have costumes and rehearsals. Voice over most of the time is cold reading in a booth where you are isolated from everyone and everything else. You have to kind of create the world on your mind and give a believable performance. You have to be a little crazy for voice over work.

MG: What can you tell us about the film “Dead Inside”?
MM: It’s a psychological, thriller, horror film that was directed by Pearry Teo. I am really excited about this film because it’s an ensemble piece that takes the classic “teens in a house” horror film and puts a unique and intense spin on that with great story arc. Unlike a lot of horror films today that relies on jump scares and splashy gore this film is very reminiscent of the original “Aliens”. It’s more about what you don’t see and what’s in the shadows. This film lets your mind fill in the blanks thus making it more scary. I am really excited about this film and I think it’s going to be debuting at Sundance.

MG: You directed the web series “There Will Be Brawl”. Any future plans for more directing?
MM: I have a few projects in the works. “There Will Be Brawl” was a pretty intense year of my life. A lot of creative energy went into that project and most of my free time went towards all of the different aspects of that project. I was burned out for about a year. I got the bug back recently and have a few projects in pre-production. Keep your eyes open for stuff to start popping up.

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: interview, matt, mercer

Film Review “The Change-Up”

Directed by: David Dobkin
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman, Leslie Mann
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Rated R
Running time: 112 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

It is really rare that a film is extremely funny, raunchy and also has a great heart. Most films have one of the three and fail on the others. “The Change-Up” is easily one of the funniest films of the year. The combo of Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman is a match made in heaven. I would like to point out that besides this being on hell of a funny film, it is also one of the raunchiest and dirtiest movies I have ever seen (in a good way). I found myself covering my face wondering how the hell did they get away with this throughout the film.

The story has been told before but never like this. Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) and Dave (Jason Bateman), are friends who believe that the other has a better life and while peeing into a magic fountain, they wish for each other’s life. Obviously it works and Mitch and Dave switch their bodies. Since they are two completely different people is why this film works so well. Mitch is a complete slack off that never sees anything through and Dave is a perfectionist that has big plans for his career. Mitch and Dave set out to make things right and get their lives back. Of course mucho hilarity ensues.

Jason Bateman is known for playing his typical role of guys like Dave in the film…but when he switches to the role of Mitch, it really shows a whole other side to him. He definitely steals the show and shines in this film. Would love to see him take on more roles like this. Ryan Reynolds is know for playing the action hero and slacker role and is perfect as the up tight perfectionist while playing the character of Dave. Don’t let me forget the women in the film, Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde both are fun in this film. Leslie knocks it dead with her character and even shows some skin (bonus). Olivia Wilde is funny as the very forward co-worker of Dave, also shows some skin (double bonus).

I just want to say again how funny this film is and how over the top it is. When you think the shock and awe is done and the film is going to drop it adds some great heart and when it gets too much it just right back into the comedy. Perfect combination of the two. Make sure to leave the kids at home for this one definitely and get ready to laugh and enjoy this excellent film.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: changeup, film, review

Film Review #2 “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”

Starring: James Franco, Frieda Pinto and Andy Serkis
Directed by: Rupert Wyatt
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

When I first heard about this movie I was thinking why!  Then I thought about it and wondered what could have happened to cause the Apes in today’s times to take over and mankind to be slaves.  Well this movie does just that and does it very well, that it is very believable.

The film begins with of course the capturing of chimpanzee’s to bring back to the lab for experiments.  Dr. Will Rodman (James Franco) is on the verge of finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and other ailments that attack the brain.  Not only would this cure it but make you smarter.  But with no side effects?  Of course things go wrong and that leads to the developing story line to the rise of the apes.

The special effects are absolutely amazing.  Watching Caesar grow and evolve in the movie is definitely worth it.  You can see him thinking and feeling very clearly, which you can also tell that he will eventually be up to no good….you would too if you went through what he did. The facial expressions of Caesar are very lifelike. This is due to the amazing work of WETA and performance capture from Andy Serkis. Also watching Caesar rally the troops and climb to the top is well done.  I do not want to say too much otherwise it would ruin the movie for you.  You will just have to go and see it.

The movie does start off slow but that is made up for the great storyline and character development.  There is not a lot of action but don’t let that stop you from seeing this movie.  I feel that this movie was very well done and the story line was great despite the lack of action.  Also when the movie is over don’t just get up and leave!

 

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: 2, apes, film, planet, review, rise, ...

Film Review “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”

Starring: James Franco, Frieda Pinto and Andy Serkis
Directed by: Rupert Wyatt
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

CLICK HERE for our interview with the film’s writers Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa.

What can I say about the “Planet of the Apes” films? As a child of the late 60’s and early 70’s, nothing beat a film about talking monkeys! There were five original films in all (the last one, “Battle for the Planet of the Apes,” released when “Rise” director Rupert Wyatt is one year old). There followed an animated series as well as a weekly television show. And of course, back in the days before home video, there was that rare day each summer when the local theatre would hold an “APE-a-thon,” and my friends and I would spend most of a day in the darkness, watching each film. Tim Burton “re-imagined” “Planet of the Apes” in 2001, though he confused a lot of people with the ending (which was based on the ending in Pierre Boulle’s original novel). The two things I remember most about the Burton version is that Helena Bonham Carter really looked a lot like Michael Jackson and that, in what I thought was pretty ironic, NRA President (and original “Planet of the Apes” visitor) Charlton Heston was the only character that had a gun! With four decades of “Ape” enjoyment under my belt, I was a little skeptical when I learned of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” Happily, I needn’t have worried.

Modern day San Francisco. In a large, foreboding research facility, an ape nicknamed “Bright Eyes” is working a puzzle. Her skills impress those watching her. Bright Eyes is part of an experimental drug program. The goal: develop a way to reverse and cure Alzheimer’s Disease in humans. The cause is very close to head researcher Will Rodman’s (Franco) heart…his father (John Lithgow) is suffering from the disease. When an apparent successful demonstration of the drug goes terribly wrong, Will’s research is put on hold. On his way out the door he takes a newborn chimp with him. Not one to take “no” for an answer, Will continues his work, using his dad as a guinea pig. As for the chimp…well there wouldn’t be a movie if not for him.

Full of some fine tips of the hat to the original series (a list of some of them follow this review), “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is a smartly directed film that sits squarely on the shoulders of Andy Serkis. Serkis, whose performance as Golum in the “Lord of the Rings” films should have earned him an Oscar nomination or two (or three…he was ruled ineligible because the onscreen character was computer generated) is Caesar, the baby chimp all grown up. With a rapidly growing IQ but with the innocence of a child, Serkis gives Caesar, and the film, its soul. After spending many years living with Will, Caesar is discovered and sent to live in a primate house, overseen by a bureaucratic Brian Cox. There he is mistreated by both the handlers and the other apes, who do not easily accept a clothes-wearing ape. As Caesar battles with his kind Will must do the same, hoping to find a vaccine that will return his father back to him. The similarities between Will and his dad, and Caesar and Will, become more and more highlighted as the film progresses. Caesar considers Will his father and cannot understand the changes in his life. Ditto for Will and HIS dad.

Wyatt, who also directed 2008’s “The Escapist,” which also starred Brian Cox, stages the film well, most notably when the film centers itself on the Golden Gate Bridge. You may have heard of gorillas in the mist…try dealing with gorillas in the fog!

Click here to read another favorable review from our guest writer Angelo Casciorizzo Jr.

.

PAYING HOMAGE
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” recalls previous films.

SPOILER ALERT: As mentioned above, there are several references to the early series of “Ape” films. Here are a few that I noticed:

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

The first ape we meet is Bright Eyes. Bright Eyes was the name given to Colonel Taylor (Heston) in the first film by the ape scientists.

An orangutan in the film is named Maurice. Maurice Evans played Dr. Zaius, an orangutan, in the original film.

To control him, Caesar’s handlers use a fire hose. The same thing was done to Taylor.

In one scene the apes in the primate house become very noisy, causing one of the handlers to yell “It’s a Madhouse!” Taylor thought the same thing.

Early in the film Caesar plays with a model of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue plays an important role in the original film.

One of the characters is named Dr. Cornelia. One of the ape scientists in the first film was Dr. Cornelius, played by Roddy McDowall.

After an altercation one of the ape handlers utters the classic line, “take your paws off of me you damn, dirty ape!.” Once again, courtesy of Colonel Taylor in the original.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: apes, film, planet, review, rise

Interview with Amanda Silver & Rick Jaffa

Amanda Silver & Rick Jaffa are the husband and wife duo behind the screenplay for “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”. The couple has worked together on various projects, including “Eye For An Eye” and “The Relic”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Amanda and Rick about how they came up with the idea for “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and we came across with one amazing story.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you like most about collaborating with each other?
Amanda Silver: We are married, which I’m not sure if you knew or not but, we have been writing together for about 20 years. The collaboration just works. We each have different strengths and we complement each other very well. Because we have been doing this so long there is kind of a short hand in how we communicate.
Rick Jaffa: We also have certain rules since we are married and raising a family which we kind of established in the beginning which we really don’t need to apply anymore but, for example if one of us has the lead in a project and or it was their idea that person would ultimately have veto power if there was some sort of creative road block or disagreement. The truth is we thought we would just establish that if there was ever any trouble and I don’t think there ever has been. Maybe in the very beginning but we just will work things out and find solutions together. For a husband and wife it’s been a really fun adventure. It just works out really well.

MG: How did you become attached to “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”?
AS: That was actually Rick’s idea. It was a genius idea as Rick was cutting out these articles he was interested in about chimps being raised like children in a home setting.
RJ: Especially when the chimps become teenagers which in chimp years is about 7 or 8 years old. During that time the chimps become bigger and stronger and really are not meant to live in a home. A lot of the attacks you read about are during this time of development because the chimps are acting as the animal they are supposed to be.
AS: Rick had been staring at the articles for almost two years and all of the sudden he had the idea for “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” We at the time had no idea where Fox was with the franchise and what they were developing. We had worked for Fox before and knew one of the executives really well, so we brought this idea to him. Luckily they had nothing in the works and reslly liked our idea. They then bought our idea and had us write and produce the film.

MG: What did you find as your most challenging part of rebooting the series?
RJ: Our attitude was going to be as though the Tim Burton movie never happened. We are huge fans of certain aspects of the Tim’s film but ultimately we knew that if we were going to pull this film off we would have to act as though that film had never happened. We wanted to craft a story that could stand on its own while still paying respect to the original movies and allow younger people who don’t know much about the “Planet of the Apes” franchise to become familiar with the story.

MG: Since this is a prequel, are there any hints or tributes to the original films/series?
AS: Yes. Throughout the entire film there are easter eggs, as we call them. Rick was much better at this than I was. There are little hints such as character names and other things, but I am not going to give anything away. For the people who love “Planet of the Apes” there are a lot of fun things in there for them.
RJ: Some things are really obvious, while others are so obscure that I don’t think people will be able to put them together. I don’t even know how we were able to. (Laughs) There are lots of nods to the original and hints to where the story could go which is a nod to the original mythology of the series.

MG: Is it safe to say you are shaping this to become a new franchise?
AS: We will have to wait and see about that as the film has yet to open. There are characters that we have created for this film that we can’t wait to see what will happen. The premise of the film is what would have to happen today currently in 2011 to eventually get Colonel Taylor on that beach some 3,900 years from now. The apes that we created are present day apes.
RJ: When you see the movie and it feels like we are setting up for a sequel. We know that if the film does well and a sequel presents itself then there are very specific ideas as to what we would like to do. Now that there is a whole kind of “Ape” team made up of the Chernin Company along with Dylan Clark and the Fox team. Everyone has been great to work with and I am sure they all have ideas about where they think the film could go. Amanda and I have very specific ideas but no one has talked about as they are afraid to jinx it I think.

MG: How was it working with Rupert Wyatt and did he have any input on the story?
AS: He was spectacular! Rupert really gave us great notes on the script and when he came on he helped shape the movie. His job was huge on this movie as he had to get not only the script right but he had to cast the right people as well. Rupert also had to communicate with WETA, which is the group responsible for the visual effects and performance capture. He really had to make sure that all the performances were translated from the actors.
RJ: Rupert was a really great listener and collaborator. He would stick to his point of view but would listen and be open to everyone else’s thoughts. He really hung in there despite all the pressure which was present very early on at the start.

MG: Do you guys have any other upcoming projects?
RJ: We just turned in a re-write of a script for Sony, which is a big action/time travel project that we are really excited about. We also are pitching some television ideas, as it is that time of the year. We are also developing some of our own stuff along. With the heat coming of the movie, we have started to receive some things for consideration as well.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: amanda, interview, jaffa, rick, silver

Open Road Films will be releasing their new film “Killer Elite”

Open Road Films will be releasing their new film KILLER ELITE on September 23, 2011. Based on the book “The Feather Men” by Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

About the film:
Based on a true story, Killer Elite races across the globe from Australia to Paris, London and the Middle East in the action-packed account of an ex-special ops agent (Jason Statham) who is lured out of retirement to rescue his mentor (Robert De Niro). To make the rescue, he must complete a near-impossible mission of killing three tough-as-nails assassins with a cunning leader (Clive Owen).

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: elite, film, films, killer, open, releasing, ...

Lionsgate Fall Movie Preview

Check out some of the awesome films that Lionsgate has planned for the the Fall.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN 
Release Date: August 19, 2011
Starring: Jason Momoa, Rachel Nichols, Stephen Lang, Rose McGowan, and Ron Perlman
Directed by: Marcus Nispel
Written by: Thomas Dean Donnelly & Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood
Based on the character of Conan as originally created by Robert E. Howard
*Please note this film will be in 3D

SYNOPSIS

“I live.  I love.  I slay…I am content.” – Conan The Barbarian

The most legendary Barbarian of all time is back this Summer.  Having thrived and evolved for eight consecutive decades in the public imagination- in prose and graphics, on the big screen and small, in games and properties of all kinds- Conan’s exploits in the Hyborian Age now come alive like never before in a colossal 3D action-adventure film.

A quest that begins as a personal vendetta for the fierce Cimmerian warrior soon turns into an epic battle against hulking rivals, horrific monsters, and impossible odds, as Conan realizes he is the only hope of saving the great nations of Hyboria from an encroaching reign of supernatural evil.

Deftly adapted from the original works of Robert E. Howard and faithful to the mythology and psychology of his iconic character, CONAN THE BARBARIAN stars Jason Momoa, Rachel Nichols, Stephen Lang, Rose McGowan, Saïd Taghmaoui and Ron Perlman.  The film is directed by Marcus Nispel, and written by Thomas Dean Donnelly & Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood. Lionsgate and Millennium Films present a Millennium Films in association with EFF Independent Productions and a Conan Properties International LLC production.

 

WARRIOR
Release Date: September 9, 2011
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, and Nick Nolte
Directed by: Gavin O’Connor
Screenplay by: Gavin O’Connor & Anthony Tambakis & Cliff Dorfman
Story by: Gavin O’Connor & Cliff Dorfman

SYNOPSIS
Rising stars Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton command the screen as two estranged brothers facing the fight of a lifetime­ in Lionsgate’s WARRIOR, a moving, inspirational action drama from acclaimed director Gavin O’Connor (Miracle).

Haunted by a tragic past, Marine Tommy Conlon (Hardy) returns home for the first time in fourteen years to enlist the help of his father (Nick Nolte) to train for Sparta, the biggest winner-takes-all event in mixed martial arts history. A former wrestling prodigy, Tommy blazes a path toward the championship while his brother, Brendan (Edgerton), an ex-fighter-turned teacher, returns to the ring in a desperate bid to save his family from financial ruin.  But when Brendan’s unlikely, underdog rise sets him on a collision course with the unstoppable Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront each other and the forces that pulled them apart, facing off in the most soaring, soul stirring, and unforgettable climax that must be seen to be believed.

A rousing ode to redemption, reconciliation and the power of the human spirit, WARRIOR is also a moving testament to the enduring bonds of family.   WARRIOR stars Tom Hardy (the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, Black Hawk Down), Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom, Star Wars: Episode III), Jennifer Morrison (“House”, Star Trek) and Nick Nolte (Tropic Thunder, The Thin Red Line).  The film is directed by Gavin O’Connor; screenplay by Gavin O’Connor & Anthony Tambakis & Cliff Dorman and story by Gavin O’Connor & Cliff Dorfman. Lionsgate and Mimran Schur Pictures present a Lionsgate and Mimran Schur Pictures production a Solaris Entertainment and Filmtribe production.

 

ABDUCTION 
Release Date: September 23, 2011
Starring: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello and Sigourney Weaver
Directed by: John Singleton
Written by: Shawn Christensen

SYNOPSIS
Taylor Lautner stars as a young man unwittingly thrust into a deadly world of covert espionage in Lionsgate’s action-thriller, ABDUCTION, directed by John Singleton.
For as long as he can remember, Nathan Harper (Taylor Lautner) has had the uneasy feeling that he’s living someone else’s life. When he stumbles upon an image of himself as a little boy on a missing persons website, all of Nathan’s darkest fears come true: he realizes his parents are not his own and his life is a lie, carefully fabricated to hide something more mysterious and dangerous than he could have ever imagined.

Just as he begins to piece together his true identity, Nathan is targeted by a team of trained killers, forcing him on the run with the only person he can trust, his neighbor, Karen (Lily Collins). Every second counts as Nathan and Karen race to evade an army of assassins and federal operatives. But as his opponents close in, Nathan realizes that the only way he’ll survive – and solve the mystery of his elusive biological father – is to stop running and take matters into his own hands.
ABDUCTION stars Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello, Denzel Whitaker, Michael Nyqvist and Sigourney Weaver.    The film is directed by John Singleton and written by Shawn Christensen. Lionsgate presents, a Gotham Group / Vertigo Entertainment / Quick Six Entertainment production, a Lionsgate Production, in association with Mango Farms.

 

SAFE
Release Date: October 28th, 2011
Starring: Jason Statham, Robert John Burke, Chris Sarandon, Anson Mount, and introducing Catherine Chan
Written and Directed by: Boaz Yakin

SYNPOPSIS
Written and directed by Boaz Yakin (REMEMBER THE TITANS), the action thriller SAFE is the story of a former elite agent (Jason Statham) who encounters and rescues a twelve-year-old Chinese girl who’s been abducted by the Triads. Armed with a safe-cracking combination, they find themselves in the middle of a stand-off between Triads, the Russian Mafia and high-level corrupt New York City politicians and police. The film is written and directed by Boaz Yakin. Lionsgate and IM Global present in association with Automatik a Lawrence Bender production in association with Trigger Street Productions and 87eleven, Inc.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: fall, lionsgate, movie, preview

Save The Date: Lionsgate And Nu Image Throw “The Big Wedding”

All-Star Ensemble Comedy Unspools Stateside October 19, 2012

Santa Monica, CA, August 02, 2011– LIONSGATE® (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, and Nu Image are thrilled to announce THE BIG WEDDING, a Nu Image / Millennium Films production that Lionsgate will be distributing in the U.S. and the U.K. The announcement was made jointly by Joe Drake, President of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, Jason Constantine, Lionsgate’s President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Avi Lerner, Founder and Co-Chairman of Nu Image, who is handling international sales of the film.

The film, which boasts an all star cast including Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Robin Williams, Ben Barnes and Topher Grace, is currently shooting in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Written and directed by Justin Zackham (THE BUCKET LIST), the film centers around Don (De Niro) and Ellie (Keaton), a long divorced couple being forced to pretend that they are still happily married at their son’s wedding. Among all of their family and friends, the hoax snowballs into a poignant and raucously funny story about the ties that bind.

Nu Image’s Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort and Trevor Short are executive producing, with Justin Zackham, Clay Pecorin, Richard Salvatore and Harry Ufland producing.

“THE BIG WEDDING is a charming, rollicking movie that promises to be an instant intergenerational family comedy classic,” explains Drake of the film’s appeal to the studio. “We are thrilled to be in business once again with Avi and Nu Image,” adds Constantine. “After our success together with action genre films like THE EXPENDABLES and the upcoming CONAN THE BARBARIAN, this film presented a wonderful opportunity to expand our collaborative horizons into the realm of broad comedy.”

“Our relationship with Lionsgate has always been mutually beneficial and one of great respect. A film like THE BIG WEDDING only reinforces that idea and takes our relationship to the next level,” says Lerner. “We know that Lionsgate’s faith in us to deliver on all of the potential of this comedy is well placed.”

Negotiations on behalf of Lionsgate were overseen by Constantine along with Lionsgate’s SVP of Acquisitions Eda Kowan and EVP of Business & Legal Affairs Wendy Jaffe.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: big, date, image, lionsgate, nu, save, ...

Interview with Richard Kiel

Richard Kiel is known best for his roles as Jaws in the James Bond film, “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker.”  He also appeared in the original “The Twilight Zone” series and of course everyone know his from “Happy Gilmore”.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Richard about his amazing career and also what he is currently working on.

Mike Gencarelli:  You are known best for your role as ‘Jaws’ in the James Bond series, “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker.”   How was it working on those films?
Richard Kiel:  It was a lot of hard work.  We would generally work one or two days for every minute that appeared on screen.  They were long shoots.  “Moonraker” lasted almost six months.  But the filmmakers wanted everything to be perfect.  They worked very hard at that.  The director (Lewis Gilbert directed both films) was a terrific  to work with, as was Roger Moore. So was the crew.  On “The Spy Who Loved Me” we got to go to the island of Sardania, which is in the Mediterranean.  I had my family with me.  We went to Egypt for the Pyramids…the Sphinx…the Valley of the Kings.  And of course we worked at Pinewood Studios in London, so we stayed in an apartment for a while.  We actually stayed in the stable keepers cottage on Pinewood.  Pinewood used to be an estate so they had a stable keeper.   For “Moonraker” we went to Paris and worked in three or four different studios there.  Then we went to Rio De Janeiro where we stayed in a hotel on the ocean.  So yes, it was a great experience that I really enjoyed.  In fact, one of my sons was born right outside of Paris.

MG:  Tell us about what you like most about that character?
RK:  What I like most is that both the director and Cubby Broccoli, the producer, allowed me to give the character personality traits, such as frustration…vulnerability…persistence and a never give up attitude that made the character appealing to the audience.  I get electrocuted in the train with the lamp and thrown out the window just to get up, brush off my clothes, straighten my tie and go after Bond.  And the same thing happens when the villain’s car goes over the side of the mountain and ends up coming through the roof of an old Italian couples’ villa.  I come busting out the front door straightening my tie and brushing off my clothes.  So by the time they throw me in the tank with the shark, I’m getting huge applause and cheers.  ‘Jaws” became extremely likable.  So when they brought me back in “Moonraker” I had a girlfriend…a love interest.  I turned into a good guy.  There’s an organization in England which is very similar to Netflix in the United States that recently did a poll of all of their customers that purchased the new BluRay versions of the films.  They asked them who, besides James Bond, is the best character in the Bond films.  Over 9,000 responded and ‘Jaws’ got over 30% of the vote.  The nearest competitor was ‘Q,’ who got 16%.  Than Moneypenny and ‘M’ at 10%.  And that was a great honor to me…that Cubby Broccoli and Lewis Gilbet allowing me to do what I did was being validated by the audience.

MG:  Tell us about working on the original “The Twilight Zone” in the episode ‘To Serve Man’?
RK:  There was a lot of heavy duty make up.  To put that big head on me took three or four hours.  They were long hours but they sure were worth it because it became a classic episode.  “It’s a cookbook!” (laughs)

MG:  How was it working with Rod Serling?
RK:  Nobody that I’ve talked to who appeared on “The Twilight Zone” ever met him!  He wrote most of the original stories and teleplays.  I think they filmed most of his hosting appearances at the same time.  He wasn’t there.  And I’ve not talked to anyone who did the show who ever met him.  I’m not saying he wasn’t ever on the set, but I don’t know anyone who was on that show that met him.

MG:  How do you feel about the toys you inspired, including ‘Jaws’ from the Bond films and Kanamit from “The Twilight Zone”?
RK:  That was quite an experience.  Sideshow toys made these articulated figures which were about 14 inches tall and sent them to me in a presentation case.  My wife asked why they took so long to make them, since it had been 40 years since I did “The Twilight Zone” and decades since I did the Bond films.  But it shows the impact those characters have.

MG:  Tell us about working with then unknown Jackie Chan in “Cannonball Run II”?
RK:  I kept wondering why they had this Chinese guy (laughs).  I was the driver of the car and he was my co-pilot.  He was a very nice guy but, as you’ve said, at the time he wasn’t very well known in America.  But I found out why the cast him.  One of the film’s producers was from China, where Jackie Chan was a star.  He was a star really throughout Asia.   The studio sent he and I to Tokyo to promote the film.  And over there he was as popular as Elvis Presley or the Beatles were here.  There were tens of thousands of teenage girls that would show up everywhere we went.  They were all screaming and giggling.  It was very different in China.  The Chinese people make great gamblers because they don’t show any emotion.  They were excited, they just didn’t show it.

MG:  Your role as Mr. Larson in “Happy Gilmore” is almost iconic.  Was it a fun project to work on?
RK:  “Happy Gilmore” is probably the second most popular film with my fans, with “The Longest Yard” coming in at a close third.  The character was great…”your ball struck my foot!…and you can count on ME waiting for you in the parking lot!”  Kids just absolutely love that movie.  They say those lines when they meet me.  It was great working on the film.  Adam Sandler is a Bond fan and, obviously, was a fan of “The Longest Yard.”  He treated me with a lot of respect.  We had some nice conversations.  He’s totally different off screen then his screen characters.  His screen characters are so zany…like Jerry Lewis.  But in real life he’s just a nice Jewish boy who just happens to know how to make people laugh.  But he’s very down to earth.

MG:  How was it voicing the character of  Vladmir in the film Disney film “Tangled”?
RK:  One of the directors was a big Bond fan and the producers knew of me from the Bond films.  They were very, very happy with the voice work that I did.  I had no idea the quality of the film.  When I saw it I was just blown away.  I had no idea it was going to be so spectacular.  The animation…the look of it.  The drama that was achieved with the leading lady and leading man and the stepmother was just fantastic.  I actually wrote a letter to the directors and producers telling them how surprised I was that the film had been done so well.  They said they really liked what I did and want to use me on their next project, which is an animated spy movie.  So I’m excited because now I’ve opened the door to doing voice work.  Since that time I got a gig with Hitachi recording the introduction of all of their corporate executives at a recent convention.  When I first started out as an actor I auditioned for Hanna-Barbera but they wanted the big GIANT voice.  But that’s not me…I’m really unique.  “Tangled” was perfect because it was a more personalized character.

MG:  Tell us about your novel with Pamela Wallace “The True Story of Cassius Clay: Kentucky Lion”?
RK:  I spent about 25 years researching the character.  He was very much like Oskar Schindler in “Schindler’s List” except he was an American.  He put his life on the line much more then Schindler did.  They both took a big chance.  But the plantation owners were worried that Clay was going to try to put a stop to slavery.  They were worried to the point that they put hit men on him twice to try to assassinate him.  They successfully poisoned and killed his son, which ultimately destroyed his marriage.  He paid a big price and went through a lot of grief for standing up for what was right.  He ran for president at the same time as Abraham Lincoln.  He knew he wasn’t going to get the nomination so he threw his support to Lincoln.  He figured he was the closest thing to himself as far as being against slavery.  He took Lincoln’s original Emancipation Proclamation to the state capitol in Kentucky to get it approved by the Kentucky legislature because they were a border/neutral state.  He later became our ambassador to Russia under Lincoln.  He got the Czar, who was a Christian and had just freed some 23 million slaves in Russia, to get on the same page.  Russia wanted the U.S. to buy Alaska for two cents an acre.  Of course during the civil war the country really didn’t have the money to do that.  So Cassius Clay made a deal with him, telling him “if we buy it when the war is over…no money down, we’ll just make payments every other month…if we buy it will you sail your navy into our harbors in Boston and New York as a warning to Europe to stay out of our civil war?  It would be a great help to us if you’d do that.”  The Czar of Russia agreed to that and it kept Europe out of our civil war, which would have made a big difference.  In fact, as he sailed towards Russia President Lincoln had him stop in England and feel out the British as far as them helping out the Confederacy.  They were still smarting from the Revolutionary War.  We had put a navy together that rivaled theirs.  Lincoln was afraid that they would help the Confederacy be free of the Union.  He found that they were really luke warm to the idea. So he wrote a letter to the English people and had it published in the London newspapers.  And that stopped England during the war from coming in and helping the Confederacy.  The book is also being developed as a mini-series and we’ve found a lot of major actors who are going to play cameo roles in it to support the project.  Roger Moore…Christopher Lee…George Kennedy is playing a judge.  Many, many fine actors who are friends of mine.

MG:  What can you tell us about your latest film “The Xeno Factor”?
RK:  Right now that’s the working title.  I’m about 40% done filming my role and it is THE best part I’ve ever had.  The director, James Marlowe, is sensational.  He’s managed to pull out of me a performance the world has never seen before.  I’m really, really proud of it.  I wish I had met this director 20 years ago!

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: interview, kiel, richard

All Star Voice Cast Lines Up for Animated Family Feature “Escape from Planet Earth”

Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Rob Corddry, James Gandolfini and Craig Robinson Provide The Character Voices In This Fun-Filled Alien Break-Out Tale

NEW YORK, NY August 2, 2011 – The Weinstein Company (TWC) and Rainmaker Entertainment announced today the all-star voice cast for ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH which includes Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Rob Corddry, James Gandolfini and Craig Robinson. The 3D animated family comedy is currently in full production.

The announcement was made today by Donna Gigliotti, TWC’s President of Production, and Catherine Winder, President and Executive Producer, Rainmaker Entertainment. Both Gigliotti and Winder serve as producers on the animated feature film.

ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH is directed by Cal Brunker, best known for his work on the animated feature films DESPICABLE ME, 9 and HORTON HEARS A WHO! Producers Gigliotti and Winder are joined by Rainmaker’s Luke Carroll as a producer on the film. TWC Co-Chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein are executive producers. The film was written by Cal Brunker and Bob Barlen based on an original screenplay by Tony Leech and Cory Edwards.

“ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH has got it all… explosions, romance and a cast of hilarious aliens….what more could you ask for?” said Brunker. “We are having a great time making it which is coming across on the screen. It will ultimately provide a ton of fun for both kids and their parents.”

“We’re excited to have such a talented group of actors bringing this action-packed comedic tale to life,” said Gigliotti. “I’m also very pleased to be working with Catherine and the Rainmaker team. Their outstanding artistry, storytelling and techniques in CGI animation add a new dimension to this film and ensure a fun movie going experience for the entire family.”

Winder added, “A successful animated movie starts with an imaginative story and appealing characters. The addition of such high caliber voice talent is a crucial layer to the mix. With the amazing array of talented artists and creatives from both The Weinstein Company and Rainmaker collaborating on this production, we have all the right ingredients to make ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH a highly entertaining and successful film.”

The 3D animated family comedy ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH catapults movie goers to planet Baab where admired astronaut Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) is a national hero to the blue alien population. A master of daring rescues, Scorch pulls off astonishing feats with the quiet aid of his nerdy, by-the-rules brother, Gary (Rob Corddry), head of mission control at BASA. When BASA’s no-nonsense chief Lena (Jessica Alba) informs the brothers of an SOS from a notoriously dangerous planet, Scorch rejects Gary’s warnings and bounds off for yet another exciting mission. But when Scorch finds himself caught in a fiendish trap set by the evil Shanker (James Gandolfini), it’s up to scrawny, risk-adverse Gary to do the real rescuing. As the interplanetary stakes rise to new heights, Gary is left to save his brother, his planet, his beloved wife Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) and their adventure hungry son Kip!

A film from The Weinstein Company, ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH is produced in association with Rainmaker Entertainment and will be released in the U.S. in 2012.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: animated, cast, earth, escape, family, feature, ...

Interview with Kevin Meaney

Kevin Meaney started his career in the entertainment business as a stand-up comedian in 1979. Since then he has branched out and appeared in such film and television series as “Big” and “Uncle Buck”. Kevin has also appeared on Broadway and has also lent his voice to a variety of cartoons. Movie Mikes had a chance to catch up with Kevin to talk about some of his previous projects and what he currently is working on.

Adam Lawton: You started your career doing stand-up comedy. What made you decide to try acting?
Kevin Meaney: I was doing stand up and got an audition. Once you start doing stand up people start to want to see you for other things and you begin to branch out into different areas of show business such as television, movies, commercials and radio. It wasn’t a conscious decision where I said I am going to go out and do movies. It’s more you get a call from your agent and they tell you that some people would like to see you for a particular part and would you come in and read for them? If it’s something up my alley I will go in and do it. I will go in for just about anything even if it might not be the right role. I do this because there might be another role that is the right one for me.

AL: The first film you appeared in was “Big” with Tom Hanks. Can you tell us about that experience?
KM: That was a terrific experience to be cast in that movie. That film is still being aired all over the world and it was great meeting Tom. He is such a great guy and he is very down to earth. About 10 years later I was covering the Oscar’s for HBO and Tom who I hadn’t seen since the shooting came up and told me it was great to see me again. You wouldn’t expect that from anybody you worked with 10 years ago to remember you. It was a real pleasure working with him and Penny Marshall, Elizabeth Perkins and Jon Lovitz. We had a ball on the set. I had just moved to New York from Boston and it was great to be on the set even though I had no idea what I was doing after being thrown into this new world. Everyone coached me along and showed me the ropes which was wonderful.

AL: You played Buck Russell in the television series of “Uncle Buck”. What do you think was the hardest challenge in recreating the character John Candy who played Uncle Buck in the movie version?
KM: The funny. You really have to keep things funny. I always wanted to make sure I was telling the story as well because that’s what a show is. Each episode had its own story to be told and you had to really stay to that. I had to stay focused even if I had memorized my lines and the writers decided to change something last minute which happens often.

AL: I assume the writers wanted the “Uncle Buck” character similar to the film version however were you allowed to add anything of your own to that role?
KM: No. I came into it as just an actor so I had zero input on anything about the story or casting. I had no experience in that at the time so there was no real reason to have any input in that regard. I come from the world of stand up so what did I know about creating a television show? Now I have a little bit more experience and value than I think I did then but at that time in my career I just did what I was told and hoped for the best.

AL: Can you tell us about the “Pulp Fiction” spoof you appeared in titled “Plump Fiction”?
KM: That was something that was just offered to me and I played the chocolate dealer which took the place of the heroin dealer. They let me do whatever I wanted to do! It was a one day shoot somewhere in Los Angeles and I came in and they dressed me up like a total fucking lunatic. I created this character that was just insane. I think it’s one of my favorite things that I have done.

AL: Can you tell us about working on the Broadway play “Hairspray”?
KM: There is no better feeling than to do a show like “Hairspray” every night. I would always get asked if I got bored doing the same show every night which I never did. I would get tired but never bored. The minute you let your guard down that’s when things would go wrong. Then you’re on the stage forgetting lines and where you’re supposed to be. You always have to be totally ready to go out on that stage every night. Everyone in the cast hast to be because if someone messes up there has to be someone there to pick up the pieces. I remember onetime the person playing the Wilber character never made his entrance. Thankfully I understudied that part and picked up the pieces. The audience didn’t even know but the cast did. I guess the guy was in the back talking to one of the stage hands. He did finally come out though and I told him he was all done and to leave. (Laughs) I would love to get back and do another show it’s just fascinating.

AL: Can you tell us about any other upcoming projects?
KM: I just got back from San Francisco where I did a show with 3 other stand-up comics about repealing proposition 8 in California. There were 2 straight parents played by Dan St. Paul and Mary Ellen Hooper and 2 gay parents played by myself and Vickie Shaw. The show was based around parenting being the same whether you are straight or gay. I did a film called “Heterosexuals” that was done by Robert Spencer who is a great actor. He had an actor drop out at the last minute and asked me if I could play the role of a lawyer? I told him I would love to. It was a little bit frustrating though because I had only gotten the script the night before and didn’t really know my lines but, we got through it. I also have some stand-up dates around the country and I am up for a play in Louisiana but I can’t tell you the name of it just yet.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: interview, kevin, meaney, with
« sdf
Previous
Page 10 of 11
Next
Next Page »