Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts

Explosive New Cinematic Adventure "Mortal Kombat" Drops First Trailer

9:33:00 AM


From New Line Cinema comes the explosive new cinematic adventure “Mortal Kombat,” inspired by the blockbuster video game franchise, which most recently enjoyed the most successful video game launch in its history, Mortal Kombat 11.  The film is helmed by award-winning Australian commercial filmmaker Simon McQuoid, marking his feature directorial debut, and produced by James Wan (“The Conjuring” universe films, “Aquaman,”), Todd Garner (“Into the Storm”), McQuoid and E. Bennett Walsh (“The Amazing Spider-Man 2”).  

In “Mortal Kombat,” MMA fighter Cole Young, accustomed to taking a beating for money, is unaware of his heritage—or why Outworld's Emperor Shang Tsung has sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole down.  Fearing for his family's safety, Cole goes in search of Sonya Blade at the direction of Jax, a Special Forces Major who bears the same strange dragon marking Cole was born with.  Soon, he finds himself at the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and the protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark.  Here, Cole trains with experienced warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao and rogue mercenary Kano, as he prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.  But will Cole be pushed hard enough to unlock his arcana—the immense power from within his soul—in time to save not only his family, but to stop Outworld once and for all?

The diverse international cast reflects the global nature of the brand, with talent spanning the worlds of film, television and martial arts.  The ensemble includes Lewis Tan (“Deadpool 2,” Netflix’s “Wu Assassins”) as Cole Young; Jessica McNamee (“The Meg”) as Sonya Blade; Josh Lawson (“Bombshell”) as Kano; Tadanobu Asano (“Midway”) as Lord Raiden; Mehcad Brooks (TV’s “Supergirl”) as Jackson “Jax” Bridges; Ludi Lin (“Aquaman”) as Liu Kang; with Chin Han (“Skyscraper”) as Shang Tsung; Joe Taslim (“Star Trek Beyond”) as Bi-Han and Sub-Zero; and Hiroyuki Sanada (“Skyscraper”) as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion.  Also featured are Max Huang as Kung Lao; Sisi Stringer as Mileena; Matilda Kimber as Emily Young; and Laura Brent as Allison Young.

McQuoid directed from a screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham (“Wonder Woman 1984”), from a story by Oren Uziel (“Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”) and Russo, based on the videogame created by Ed Boon and John Tobias.  Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Victoria Palmeri, Michael Clear, Jeremy Stein and Larry Kasanoff served as executive producers.

New Line Cinema Presents an Atomic Monster/Broken Road Production, “Mortal Kombat.”  The film will be released in Philippine cinemas soon and distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Join the conversation online and connect with #MortalKombatMovie

"Annabelle" Earns More Than $150-M Worldwide

2:26:00 PM

Annabelle_7  

BURBANK, CA – October 19, 2014 – New Line Cinema’s “Annabelle” has surpassed the $150 million mark at the worldwide box office, earning more than $166.1 million to date and counting. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

(In the Philippines, “Annabelle” also continued to make a killing at the box-office, grossing P139.54-million nationwide, as of Oct. 19, 2014. That further tightened its grip to the national record of all-time highest-grossing foreign horror film).

Director John R. Leonetti’s supernatural thriller, produced by Peter Safran and James Wan, enjoyed the largest opening weekend this year at the domestic box office for a horror film, at $37.1 million. The demonic doll, who first debuted in last summer’s global hit “The Conjuring,” has currently scared up more than $74.1 million at the domestic box office.

Internationally, “Annabelle” has taken in just over $92 million in 51 markets, including the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Australia and much of Asia, with a number of markets yet to open, including Mexico. The film set new opening records for the horror genre in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Chile and Colombia.

Annabelle_17

In making the announcement, Fellman said, “Who doesn’t love a creepy doll? Annabelle is back and audiences have certainly missed her, judging by their enthusiastic welcome in theaters across the country. We’re happy to have unleashed the spirit of Halloween a little early this year, and congratulate New Line and the filmmakers on reaching this impressive benchmark.”

Kwan Vandenberg stated, “There’s an appetite for scary movies the world over and ‘Annabelle’ has really struck a chord. With several markets still to open, the film is on a strong trajectory that should continue to gain momentum as new audiences everywhere experience the thrills and chills it provides.”

Still showing across the Philippines, “Annabelle” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Main Poster of Warner's "The Judge" Revealed

4:36:00 PM

Judge_MainPoster

Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures have just revealed the main poster art of “The Judge,” starring Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall and Vera Farmiga.

Directed by David Dobkin (“Wedding Crashers”), “The Judge” stars Downey as big city lawyer Hank Palmer, who returns to his childhood home where his estranged father, the town’s judge (Duvall), is suspected of murder. He sets out to discover the truth and along the way reconnects with the family he walked away from years before.

Starring alongside Downey, Duvall and Farmiga are Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Dax Shephard, and Oscar® winner Billy Bob Thornton. The film also stars Oscar® winner Melissa Leo, Leighton Meester, Ken Howard, Emma Tremblay, Balthazar Getty, David Krumholtz, Sarah Lancaster, Grace Zabriskie and Denis O’Hare.

Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 22, 2014, “The Judge” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

"Terminator" Reboot Officially Titled "Terminator Genisys"

4:11:00 PM

Arnold_FB

Production has officially wrapped on the upcoming "Terminator" reboot and star Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed the title for the film in a post on his Facebook - “Terminator Genisys.” Schwarzenegger revealed the title along with an image of him on the set which you can check out below.

"Hasta la vista, baby. I want to thank the cast and crew of Terminator Genisys for a fantastic shoot," he wrote. "It was challenging, it was fun, and it was rewarding. From our director to the producers, from the camera team to catering, from visual effects to hair and makeup - we couldn't have done it without you. I can't wait to see our finished project and I know we'll remind the fans why they fell in love with the Terminator. On July 1, 2015, I'll be back."

Co-starring Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Byung Hun Lee and Matt Smith, “Terminator Genisys” is directed by “Thor: The Dark World's” Alan Taylor from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance Productions are producing. Skydance's Paul Schwake, Annapurna Pictures' Megan Ellison, Kalogridis and Lussier are executive producing.

Opening across the Philippines on July 2015, “Terminator Genisys” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” In Natural Location Using 3D

1:41:00 AM

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES 

Following the emotionally arresting story of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” the latest movie “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” takes place 10 years after a viral apocalypse known as the Simian Flu hit the humans whose numbers have been severely depleted. The Apes, on the other hand, have done quite well amidst the pandemic with Caesar at their helm. Caesar, the prime intelligent ape with human-like qualities, who can strategize, organize and ultimately lead a revolution, borne and developed by genetic engineering has now led his kind to freedom and has built a new home where humans have difficulty thriving.

Dawn’s director Matt Reeves, who created a vivid and unexpected sense of realism in his 2008 thriller “Cloverfield,” says, “My hope is that audiences – even knowing about the visual effects – will say, ‘Wait a minute. There weren’t real live apes in the movie at all?’ “That to me is an exciting idea because it creates emotional reality. If you believe these apes are real and they are emoting, then your involvement just becomes deeper and deeper. I think that’s one of the miracles of what Weta has achieved.”

More than 85 percent of “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” was shot in the forests of Vancouver and outside New Orleans. Serkis calls this a “huge technical leap that enables there to be no disconnect with the other actors.” Shooting a film of this scope and scale in native 3D, coupled with the complex performance capture work amidst stunning yet challenging exterior locations was exponentially more difficult than what had been achieved on Rise of the Planet of the Apes. That latter featured mostly interior sets, but “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” depicts a community of 2,000 apes, living in wild surroundings, in humid, rainforest environments.

dawn-o-fthe-planet-of-the-apes

To capture the performances, Weta Digital had 35 people on each unit, an array of 50 or so mo-cap cameras and eight witness capture cameras that were constantly rolling on anything that involved an ape character. Joe Letteri, senior visual effects supervisor, notes that this groundbreaking technology was able to record the performance capture on location with all the other actors having a more coherent performance. He further explains that “Everyone is in the moment together. And that’s really what we were trying to do with the new technology we developed.”

Production designer Chinlund adds, “Matt, from the beginning, has been very explicit about this being more than just a post-apocalyptic world. This is a story about the birth of a civilization. I think it’s sort of a restart for the planet Earth. It was exciting to try and imagine how that would happen and also watching this new society built its world. I feel like the apes are going through the same evolutionary path that we did and running into the same pitfalls and trying to figure out how to build their new world. It was a really fun opportunity to try to think like an ape and help create that society.”

A new civilization is about to inherit the Earth when “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” comes in more than 200 screens nationwide (2D and 3D format) on July 9 from 20thCentury Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

“The Fault in our Stars” Gathers the Largest of Constellation at Philippines Box Office at 52 M Opening

12:09:00 AM

FIOS-149-09781r.tif 

The phenomenal bestselling book by John Green, “The Fault In Our Stars,” adapted to film starring today’s most talented young actors Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort is now a certified blockbuster film on its opening weekend across the globe.

Like fate, the movie’s success has already been written in the stars when it opened to a lustrous P52 million  in just four (4) days after it opened (June 5) in the Phils., likewise, it also earned a brilliant $48 million in the U.S. on its opening weekend.

Benefitting from its massive fan base and impressive word-of-mouth, cinemas have noted a repeat in the views, not just twice but as much as reaching a fourth recurrence.  This phenomenal draw in the Philippines had Google’s analytics gone bonkers as reported in Time Magazine when it found out that not India, not Spain and not even the United States where John Green is based had the most voracious of readers but is actually the Philippines that grabbed the seat.  As stated in Time Magazine, “According to Google data, it’s actually the Philippines, whose search volume index (normalized as a score of 100, the highest) for the term “The Fault In Our Stars” is more than double that of the U.S. (44, the second highest). The three next most starry-eyed countries are Singapore (38), Australia (37) and New Zealand (36).”

Like all great love stories that have come before, “The Fault In Our Stars,” both book and movie is the current one to beat in terms of endearment to the young adult demographics the world over who cried, fell in love and journeyed with Hazel and Gus’ little infinities.  Considering the popular young adult blockbuster movies that have been released such as Woodley’s and Elgort’s “Divergent,” “Twilight” films and “The Hunger Games,” “The Fault In Our Stars’” opening weekend gross had already closed in to the lifetime estimates of the previously mentioned comparative titles.

                From its modest 137 screens, “The Fault In Our Stars’” admissions have managed to reach 283, 680 over its opening weekend.  With sold out tickets on its first day in the Philippines, it was Ayala Malls Cinemas’ Trinoma that landed the top spot amongst theaters with P2.3million in receipts.  Second best recorded box-office comes from SM North Edsa/The Block at 2.13 million followed by Glorietta4 (P1.9M); SM Mall of Asia (P1.8M) and SM Megamall (P1.6M).

FIOS-135-11735r.tif

                Indicating a nationwide and wider market demographics appeal, “The Fault In Our Stars” have also recorded highs in the following cinemas that are within the film’s top 20 list  – Ayala Cebu (P1.6M); Eastwood (P1.5M); Greenbelt (P 1.4M); Powerplant (P 1.35M); Shang Cineplex (P1.31M); SM Cebu (P1.29M); Greenhills TheatreMall (P1.28M); Gateway Cineplex/Ali Mall (P1.22M); Alabang Town Center (P1.1M); Robinson’s Magnolia (P.916M); Robinson’s Ermita (P.888M); SM Southmall (P.842M); Bonifacio High Street (P.788M); Newport (P.776M); Festival (P.726M) and Market!Market! (P.723M).

“The Fault In Our Stars” centers on two engaging teenagers, Hazel (Woodley) and Gus (Elgort) who meet at a cancer support group, immediately connect and form a powerful bond. We join the pair on an incredible quest, which takes them thousands of miles away from home, to Amsterdam as they take on the journey of a positive celebration of life.

Still showing in more than 100 screens nationwide, “The Fault In Our Stars” is from 20th Century Fox distributed by Warner Bros.   Like 20thCentury Fox (Philippines) on Facebook, 20thcenturyfoxph/Youtube and 20centuryph/Twitter for more updates.

Olivia Wilde’s Tempestuous Affair with Liam Neeson in “Third Person”

3:05:00 PM

olivia wilde THIRD PERSON_

Modern-day renaissance actress Olivia Wilde, who effortlessly transitions from sharing the screen with renowned actors to working alongside devoted doctors and teachers in Haitian refugee camps stars in the upcoming romantic thriller “Third Person” opposite Liam Neeson.

Scripted and helmed by Academy Award Winner Paul Haggis (“Crash”), “Third Person” is set in Paris, New York and Rome that follows three intersecting stories of love and relationships in crises. Michael (Liam Neeson) is a Pulitzer Prize winning author who has holed himself up in a hotel suite in Paris to finish his latest book. He recently left his wife, Elaine (Kim Basinger), and is having an affair with an ambitious young writer, Anna (Olivia Wilde) who has her own agenda.

Wilde’s character Anna is young, beautiful and damaged. An aspiring New York writer but currently working as a gossip reporter at a fashion magazine, she is protege to Michael, a successful novelist who is also her mentor and charismatic lover. Anna enjoys the thrill of taunting Michael and using her youth and beauty to toy with him and her arrival in Paris brings much-needed inspiration and excitement to him. Although she is damaged and complicated, her love for Michael is very real.

“They’ve known each other for some time and as is revealed they’ve been carrying on this relationship. Things are kind of coming to a head and she has a lot of her own personal issues that we learn a bit about, but ultimately she’s in love with Michael and has a kind of obsession with him at the same time as a real romantic love for him,” Wilde explains of her character. “It’s interesting playing Anna but I don’t know if I’d say I’m enjoying playing her because I wouldn’t want to ‘be’ Anna. The experience has been a real case of ‘There but for the grace of God go I. I’m playing an incredibly damaged and painful role, but it’s really interesting to play. It’s not one of those fun roles where you think like ‘yeah I can’t wait to get to work and… sob today!’’

olivia wilde and liam neeson in THIRD PERSON

Moreso, Wilde says that “The characters are all so complex and that really appealed to me. I found parallels between their struggles really interesting and I found myself empathizing with everyone because everyone’s damaged here - men, women and children but they’re all ultimately driven by love. I think the mark of a great writer is when you can empathize with all of their characters, even though they tend to hurt each other”. Third Person is much more than just a drama. It’s a thriller and a mystery where these three stories begin to intertwine”. And (director) Paul Haggis is wonderful to work for. He’s so personally attached to the material and he has such great understanding of the characters that he’s helpful at all points. There is no question he can’t answer with real sensitivity. And as a director he’s fantastic. He and I have a great shorthand, friendship and mutual respect now we’ve worked together three times”.

“Liam is incredible and so perfect for the role of Michael. He has such a gentle spirit as well as a real solid strength. I think that’s part of who he is - a really sensitive person. I think it’s absolutely imperative the audience empathize with Michael’s character, despite what can be seen as the cruel moves he’s making towards his wife and towards Anna. Despite that we find ourselves following him, loving him and forgiving him. And I don’t think any other actor could make that work. It takes someone with Liam’s sensitive spirit,” Wilde says of working with Liam Neeson.

Rated R16 by the MTRCB, “Third Person” opens on June 18 nationwide (ahead of U.S. release) from Axinite Digicinema.

"Bourne" Director Takes Audiences to "Edge of Tomorrow"

2:45:00 AM

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL

From Doug Liman, the acclaimed director of “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” comes the exhilarating sci-fi thriller “Edge of Tomorrow” starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.

In “Edge of Tomorrow,” the world is at war with an indefatigable alien force no army, let alone individual, can conquer, and the greatest battle is still to come. Countless men and women will fight and all will be lost to these “Mimics,” unless the United Defense Force’s least likely recruit can succeed in employing a most implausible strategy: Live. Die. Repeat.

In the film, Tom Cruise plays Major William Cage, a military PR man who’s never been to the front line but who, thanks to his ill-advised threat to a four-star general, ends up trapped in an alien-induced time loop, fighting for his life…and death.

Doug Liman was drawn to the project by the extreme and extremely unusual circumstances in which Cage finds himself. “The concept of this really unique time loop hooked me in,” he says. “It opened everything up and created an opportunity to explore what was interesting about Tom’s character and to witness, day after day of the same day, what takes Cage to the brink. It also forces him to become not only the soldier, but the man, he has to be. When I find a project like this, that has a deeper meaning conveyed with tremendous action and great humor, that’s a movie I want to make.”

EDGE OF TOMORROW

Cage’s unusual situation stems from his first—and seemingly last—battle with an alien. He quickly loses, and should lose his life, but has the unique ability to “reset” the day, waking once again in the exact location, at the exact moment, he did that morning. Justifiably, utterly confused, Cage can’t understand why no one else seems to be aware of the horrific events that already happened. Rather, they are prepping for the very fight they unknowingly have already lost.

Liman expands, “Everybody else is going to keep doing the same thing; the only thing Cage has control over are his own actions.”

“Edge of Tomorrow” is based on the Japanese light novel All You Need is Kill, by author Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Producer Erwin Stoff was given the book by producer Tom Lassally, and immediately saw its potential as a film. “I knew it would make a fantastic large-scale feature,” Stoff recalls. “It’s exactly the kind of movie I love to make—big, exhilarating action with a really interesting narrative structure. I really liked the notion of someone being caught up in a war where the stakes are the very survival of humanity, and the character has to develop both the physical and emotional skillsets in order to make a difference.”

Producer Jason Hoffs, whose Viz Media published the novel in the U.S., says, “I love heroic stories, and this one also had an elegant three-act dramatic structure, so it lent itself beautifully to the big-screen form.”

The unexpected pairing of two people wholly reliant on one another, despite only one of them being able to remember they’ve ever met, allowed for a good deal of humor, especially between Cage and Rita. Screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie notes, “Cage begins as a self-serving media spin doctor who initially sees Rita as a means to an end. But she has unmatched combat experience and understands his situation better than he does—in short, she’s the key to ending his nightmare. Meanwhile, she starts every day wanting nothing to do with him.” Cage quickly realizes his usual charm won’t work on her, and he’ll have to find another way to win her over. “He must break through her carefully constructed emotional wall—over and over again.”

“I thought it was the most original screenplay about combat I had ever read,” remembers producer Jeffrey Silver. “I loved the really original way he keeps replaying the same day in this time loop, which often comes out in a very funny way, and I also felt it worked on the most basic, human level with characters who have a really unusual relationship.”

“I had the most amazing collaborators on this film,” Liman raves. “In terms of scale, this is the biggest film I’ve ever made. I’ve never made a sci-fi movie, or a story about time travel, and this one has both and a lot more. Both on and off screen, everyone was completely committed to taking chances and making the most compelling film possible, and I think it really shows.”

Opening across the Philippines on June 5, “Edge of Tomorrow” will be distributed in 2D and 3D in select theatres by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Disney's "Big Hero 6" Launches First Trailer!

2:40:00 AM
BIG HERO 6 Disney has unveiled the teaser trailer of its upcoming animated feature “Big Hero 6,” inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action.
“Big Hero 6” is directed by Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”), and produced by Roy Conli (“Tangled”). With all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Big Hero 6” is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago, neatnik Wasabi No-Ginger, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.


Watch the characters Hiro & Baymax gear up in the new teaser trailer here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xph2R7e1TkI&list=PLkUctiWAe2uRfCQmOlUqBBMNAqq0h3x1T.

Opening across the Philippines on Nov. 05, 2014, “Big Hero 6” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Zack Snyder's "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" Starts Filming

2:28:00 AM

BvSDOJ BURBANK, CA, May 21, 2014 – Filming is underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the highly anticipated action adventure from director Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, and Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” also stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane returning from “Man of Steel,” Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and Holly Hunter in a role newly created for the film.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer.  Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

Principal photography will take place on location at Michigan Motion Picture Studios and on location in and around Detroit, Michigan; Illinois; Africa; and the South Pacific.

Set to open worldwide on May 6, 2016, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.

Angelina Jolie Ignites Screen as Iconic Villain "Maleficent" (Opens May 28)

6:14:00 PM

MALEFICENT

Angelina Jolie in the role of the title character of Disney's new fantasy adventure “Maleficent” was a decision made somewhere far above the normal casting confines.

“Even before I became involved with this project, I’d heard Angelina’s name attached and I thought, ‘What perfect casting,’” recalls director Robert Stromberg. “You can just look at her picture and Maleficent’s image and see it is a marriage made in heaven.”

“I loved Maleficent when I was a little girl,” says Jolie. “She was my favorite Disney character. I was afraid of her and I loved her.

“I was really moved by the script from first reading,” adds Jolie on why she accepted the part. “It was like uncovering a great mystery. We all know the story of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and we all know Maleficent and what happened at the christening because we’ve all grown up with that. But what we’ve neverknown is, what happened before?”

“Maleficent” explores the untold story of Disney's most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty" and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king's newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.

MALEFICENT

Maleficent is a complex character with many layers; she is driven by revenge yet she fiercely protects the land she loves and all who dwell there. Speaking of the character and what she would like audiences to take away, Jolie says, “I hope the girls, especially, will see the importance of having a sense of justice and a sense of what’s fair and what’s worth fighting for. They’ll see that they can be warriors and atthe same time soft and feminine and deeply feeling, with all the complexities women have.”

Working with Angelina Jolie was an “incredible” experience for co-star Sharlto Copley who plays Stefan. “Just meeting her right from the beginning, from the rehearsal stage, we have a similar energy and similar intensity in our work,” comments Copley. “We communicate in a similar way as well. She’s very smart about story and about filmmaking. She’s not just an actress; she directs as well and is very aware of the whole film and all aspects of the film and what’s going on. I felt very privileged, very honored, to get the chance to do this film with her.”

Having the opportunity to work with Jolie was also exciting for teenaged actress, Elle Fannig who portrays Princess Aurora. “It’s really been amazing,” enthuses Fanning. “I remember meeting her for the first time in London. I had never met her before, and she gave me a big hug. She said we were just going to have so much fun together. And we did have a lot of fun. It’s been great.”

Actor Sam Riley who plays Diaval, Maleficent's loyal companion agrees that “Angelina’s absolutely perfectly cast and you can’t really imagine anybody else working today in the part. Also the fact that she is who she is lends this grandness to it.”

Stromberg concludes, “Angelina is a really hard worker, very dedicated. She took on this role and just commanded it and took charge. It’s exciting to have someone with that much passion working side by side with me on the character. She embraced it and really became Maleficent.”

Opening across the Philippines on May 28 in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D formats, “Maleficent” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Toothless is Back in “How To Train Your Dragon 2”

6:02:00 PM

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2_

Toothless, the dragon the world over loves is back in “How To Train Your Dragon 2” and recently graced this year’s Cannes Film Festival along with the rest of the stellar voice cast and director Dean DeBlois.

From DreamWorks Animation, the studio that brought you “Shrek,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “The Croods,” comes the highly anticipated sequel to the Academy Award®-nominated “How To Train Your Dragon,” based on the children’s book series by Cressida Cowell. In the thrilling second chapter of the epic trilogy, five years have passed since the heroic young Viking Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) befriended an injured dragon and forever changed the way the residents of Berk interact with the fire-breathers. Now, Vikings and dragons live side-by-side in peace on the fantastical isle that has been transformed into a dragon’s paradise.

But when grown-up responsibilities loom on the horizon, Hiccup and his faithful dragon Toothless take to the skies in search of answers. It’s much more than he bargained for, though, when Hiccup discovers that a mysterious dragon rider is really his long-lost mother Valka (Academy Award®-winning actress Cate Blanchett) and that the peace between dragons and Vikings is threatened by the power-hungry Drago (Academy Award-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou) with help from the dragon trapper Eret, son of Eret (“Game of Thrones” actor Kit Harington).

As Astrid (America Ferrera), Gobber (Craig Ferguson) and Viking friends Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and twins Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig) and Tuffnut (T.J. Miller), lend their support, Hiccup, his mother and tribal chief father Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), must work together to protect the dragons they have grown to love. In the process, Hiccup finds the answers he has been looking for in ways he could never have imagined.

A Dream Works Animation presentation, “How To Train Your Dragon 2” (3D) opens June 11 in cinemas nationwide in the Philippines from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” Trailer Release

5:55:00 PM

KingsmanSS_1Sht_A

The trailer of "Kingsman: The Secret Service," the latest thrilling action caper directed by Matthew Vaughn has just been released by 20th Century Fox. See the trailer via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWJpYQDjSWA

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” stars Colin Firth and Taron Egerton, the latter of whom plays Eggsy, an exceptional young man who is squandering his potential in life and getting caught up in petty crime. Firth's Jack, who knew Eggsy's father is there to offer the boy a way out of trouble. And trouble arrives at the pub they're at in the form of a gang of toughs who have a beef with Eggsy.

"Kingsman: The Secret Service" will open on October 23 in cinemas from 20th Century Fox.

"Godzilla" Casts Giant Shadow at Box Office, Grosses P90.4-M in 4 Days!

2:33:00 AM

GZA_01

MANILA, May 21, 2014 – Warner Bros.' re-invention of “Godzilla” trampled its competition at the Philippine box-office, hauling off a four-day opening weekend gross of P 90.4-million for the May 15-18 frame. This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Philippines.

That figure represents Warner's biggest opening for the year, smashing the previous boffo debuts of “300: Rise of an Empire” and “The Lego Movie” in March and February, respectively.

Arriving with heaps of critical praise for its fidelity to the original Japanese monster franchise, the 2014 “Godzilla” also resonated with local audiences as the film's story begins in the Philippines. Audiences were pleasantly surprised to find out that Godzilla's eventual nemesis originated from a mining company somewhere in the country.

In the U.S., “Godzilla” bowed to a gigantic $93.2 million, marking the largest-ever May opening for Warner.

The film also scored a whopping $103 million from 64 international territories. The U.K. led the charge with $10.4 million, followed by Russia ($9.1 million) and Mexico ($8.9 million).

Back in the Philippines, “Godzilla” left a giant-sized footprint at the box offices of SM Mall of Asia (P5.39-M), SM North EDSA (P4.42-M), SM Megamall (P4.14-M), Trinoma (P3.75-M), SM Cebu (P3.12-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.51-M), SM Aura (P2.22-M), Alabang Town Center (P2.209-M), Greenbelt 3 (P2.205-M) and Theatremall (P1.98-M).

GZA_02

The film also recorded impressive sales in Power Plant (P1.75-M), SM Clark (P1.71-M), Eastwood (P1.66-M), Bonifacio High Street (P1.56-M), Gateway (P1.49-M), Ayala Cebu (P1.37-M), SM Fairview (P1.25-M), Festival (P1.24-M) and Market! Market! (P1.22-M).

The world’s most revered monster is reborn as Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures unleash the epic action adventure “Godzilla.” From visionary new director Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”) comes a powerful story of human courage and reconciliation in the face of titanic forces of nature, when the awe-inspiring Godzilla rises to restore balance as humanity stands defenseless.

The film stars an international ensemble cast led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Oscar® nominee Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Oscar® winner Juliette Binoche, and Oscar® nominee Sally Hawkins, with Oscar® nominee David Strathairn and Emmy® and Golden Globe Award winner Bryan Cranston.

Edwards directed “Godzilla” from a screenplay by Max Borenstein, story by David Callaham, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO CO., LTD.

Still showing across the Philippines, “Godzilla” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

"Ninjago" Coming to Theaters on Sept 23, 2016

2:29:00 AM

Ninjago_02 BURBANK, May 20, 2014 – Expanding the LEGO® brand’s cinema universe, Warner Bros. Pictures has slated the animated 3D action adventure “Ninjago” for release on September 23, 2016, it was announced today by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“Ninjago” is The LEGO Group’s hugely popular ninja-inspired line of building sets and minifigures that have gained their own legion of fans.

The film will be directed by Charlie Bean (TV’s “Tron: Uprising”), marking his feature directorial debut. It is being produced by Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Lord and Miller wrote and directed the smash hit “The LEGO Movie,” which was produced by Lin and Lee. Jill Wilfert, Seth Grahame-Smith, John Powers Middleton, James Packer and Steve Mnuchin are serving as executive producers. The screenplay is written by Bryan Shukoff and Kevin Chesley.

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “Following the huge success of ‘The LEGO Movie,’ we are very excited to build on the LEGO franchise. We know there are already ‘Ninjago’ collectors who can’t wait to see their favorite characters on the big screen. This promises to be a terrifically fun and thrilling entry into our Fall 2016 slate, with broad audience appeal.”

Kwan Vandenberg said, “As proven by the worldwide popularity of ‘The LEGO Movie,’ we know that the LEGO characters have a global fan base. ‘Ninjago’ is sure to delight international audiences of all ages with its own blend of action, adventure and humor.”

Opening across the Philippines on Sept. 22, 2016, “Ninjago” is will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

"Guardians of the Galaxy" Rolls Out Main Trailer, Poster

2:09:00 AM

GOTG_Teaser GuardiansOfTheGalaxy_Main

Marvel has rolled out the main poster and trailer of its highly anticipated action-adventure “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The new trailer may be viewed at Marvel Philippines' official youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJwID51gxsA&feature=youtu.be.

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy's fate in the balance.

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which first appeared in comic books in Marvel Super-Heroes, Issue #18 (Jan. 1969), stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime Rael and Benicio del Toro as The Collector.

James Gunn is the director of the film with Kevin Feige producing, and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Alan Fine and Stan Lee serve as executive producers. The story is by Nicole Perlman and James Gunn, with screenplay by James Gunn.

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” opens in Philippine theaters on August 1, 2014.

Jonah, Channing Are Off to College in "22 Jump Street"

5:43:00 PM

1178499 - 22 Jump Street

Big changes are in store for police officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college, in Columbia Pictures' new action comedy “22 Jump Street,” the much anticipated sequel to 2012's blockbuster hit, “21 Jump Street.”

The first “21 Jump Street” movie took the classic television series’ premise of youthful-looking cops going undercover in a high school and made it all its own. Where the series was an earnest procedural, the film became a subversion of action comedies, with the relationship between the leads taking center stage.

“Schmidt and Jenko are an odd couple,” says Hill. “They got together because they’re partners, but they really worked well together because they brought different things to the table.”

As a result, Schmidt and Jenko became an unforgettable screen couple. “They’re like Bogart and Bacall,” says Phil Lord, who returns to co-direct the sequel, with Christopher Miller, who adds, “They had this amazing natural chemistry. They’re very different, but they really respect and admire each other. They make a great yin-yang pair.”

In “22 Jump Street,” the filmmakers take the relationship to the next level. If the first film was about forming a relationship, the new film is about what it takes to make a relationship last.

That idea dovetails nicely with the fact that the film is a sequel. Rather than approach “22 Jump Street” by trying to re-create the magic – a re-tread of what came before – the filmmakers sought ways to keep it fresh… which is, of course, what we all have to do with our relationships. “The thing that struck us about movie sequels is that, in a way, they’re like the second part of a relationship,” says Lord. “In a relationship, you can try to recreate the past, but it’s never going to be the same; you’ve got to create new and different experiences that are just as great.”

DF-06886

“We came up with the idea of the ‘seven year itch,’” says producer Neal H. Moritz. “In the first film, they didn’t like each other, but came to be great friends and partners; now, their relationship has become complacent – like a marriage. That became the spine of our story.”

“So, that’s how we approached the movie,” says Miller, picking up the thought. “The running gag is that the plot is just like the last one – but in trying to do the same thing again, it doesn’t work, and Schmidt and Jenko have to find something new.”

With that in mind, it also made sense to the filmmakers that “22 Jump Street” would be set in a college. “We got inspired by the idea that Jenko and Schmidt are each other’s ‘hometown honey’ – but they go to college, and the world is opened up to them,” says Lord. “They experience new things and start to wonder whether they’re with the right person or not. For those of us who went to college and had friends who went through that, it seemed honest and true.”

“College is about finding out who you are,” says Hill, who also produces the film with Moritz and Tatum. “For example, Schmidt has really defined himself by this partnership with Jenko. In college, he’s struggling to know who he is.”

Jenko, meanwhile, has found somebody with a few more of his shared interests. When their investigation leads them to look into the football team, Jenko finds a kindred spirit in Zook, the team’s quarterback, played by Wyatt Russell. Before long, the bromance that seemed made in heaven is in trouble. “Zook is kind of Jenko’s man-crush,” says Tatum. “There are jealousy issues immediately –and those issues get in the way of the case that Schmidt and Jenko are supposed to be working. They end up investigating separately.”

Opening across the Philippines in June 18, “22 Jump Street” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

"Shake It Up's" Bella Thorne Plays Sandler's Daughter in "Blended"

5:59:00 PM

Blended 2nd Unit Day 2 0106.dng

Teen actress Bella Thorne, star of the hit Disney Channel original series “Shake It Up,” crosses over to the big screen in Warner Bros. Pictures' new comedy “Blended” where she plays the eldest daughter of Adam Sandler's character.

Thorne stars as Hilary, a 15-year-old who is clearly emerging as a beautiful young woman, despite having a dad who calls her Larry, dresses her like a boy, and encourages her to protein-load at the buffet.

As Thorne explains, “Hilary is a tomboy but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a girl too. She’s a little shy and self-conscious and just wants to jump out of her skin sometimes. Her hair is kind of a curly, frizzy bowl and she’s always in track suits, which doesn’t help.”

In “Blended,” single parents Lauren (Drew Barrymore) and Jim (Sandler) agree on only one thing after a disastrous blind date: they never want to see each other again. But when they each sign up separately for a fabulous family vacation with their kids, they are all stuck sharing a suite at a luxurious African safari resort for a week.

Blended Day 19 0029.dng

As the two families settle into their safari holiday, it’s Hilary who reaches across the aisle first, enlisting Lauren’s help in the style department while trying to catch the attention of her new crush – fellow teen vacationer Jake, played by Zak Henri. In the process, she makes a transformation that is at once amazing and perfectly natural, bringing out some of her more feminine qualities while not compromising any of the strengths and skills that could conceivably earn her a basketball scholarship.

The young actress shares that she has a lot in common with Hilary. “Even though I’m wearing pink right now, I am very much a tomboy,” Thorne says. “I really like to just eat chicken wings and slurp Ramen. I have the stains all over my shirt to prove it. And I think that every girl would feel for this character because there are a lot of times when you’re wanting to get out of your own skin, and she just wants to be noticed. She just wants this boy to notice that she’s a girl and he doesn’t. [Laughs] And it’s the worst.

Blended Day 6 0121.dng

“Also, I think she’s looking for a new mother figure and she gets put in this position with her father because she really is like his best buddy, like his little guy friend that he’s just chilling on the couch with.”

“Bella was brilliant,” director Frank Coraci attests. “Here’s a young woman who is known for being stylish and beautiful on red carpets and in magazines, and she has to shed her make-up, have bad hair and wear horribly fitting outfits. But she committed to it completely. She’s funny, she’s engaging, and she can dance, and, fortunately, she gets to showcase all of that in this movie.”

When asked what was the transition like for her from television to film, Thorne reveals “The only thing I miss about TV is that the people you work with see you every day. They see you in your worst mood and your best mood, so sometimes they’re really much closer to you than even your best friends. And when you work on a film, you get so close to your cast and your crew. And then three months later, you have to leave them and you wonder if you’re ever going to see them again, which is a little depressing. So that sucks.”

Bella Thorne sky-rocketed to fame with her tween/teen fans playing aspiring dancer Cece Jonesin “Shake It Up” which originally premiered with 6.2 million viewers.

Most recently, she wrapped production on the feature films “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” “Big Sky,” opposite Kyra Sedgwick,” and “Home Invasion.” She also signed a three book deal with Random House titled Autumn Falls, with the first book scheduled for late 2014, and was recently named the new Candie’s girl, following in the footsteps of Britney Spears, Carly Rae Jepsen, Vanessa Hudgens and Lea Michele.

The triple threat also recently expanded her talent in the music arena with her first solo single, “TTYLXOX,” which was included on the “Shake It Up” soundtrack and not only made the Billboard 100 but has sold over 300,000 copies to date. She has been topping the charts at Radio Disney with “Bubblegum Boy,” and collaborated with IM5 on the single “Can’t Stay Away.”

Opening across the Philippines on June 11, “Blended” is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Gulfstream Pictures/Happy Madison Production and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

Oscar-Winner Robert Stromberg Directs "Maleficent" (Opens May 28)

6:07:00 PM

 MALEFICENT Robert Stromberg, who won Oscars® for production design for both “Avatar”and “Alice in Wonderland,” steps up to the plate to direct his first feature film, Disney’s “Maleficent.” About taking on the large-scale project, Stromberg says, “I think as an artist you’re always looking for the biggest canvas you can find and it was yet another big canvas to conquer. I thought it was intriguing and fascinating to take on something that was bigger than something I had already done; it was a challenge.”

Stromberg was excited about taking on directorial duties and creating a vision for the film. He says, “Luckily for me, there are a few big projects in the rearview mirror, so I was actually more excited than nervous about any of this, including working with Angelina Jolie. I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have the opportunity to do a project of this size, so why not take that and make the most beautiful thing that I can make out of it that the world might respond to in a new and exciting way?”

Stromberg feels that “Maleficent” gives audiences “an opportunity to find out the history of Maleficent and find out where she came from and what pushed her to the point where we all know her to be. So we get to not only see her when she was a child, but what she went through that drove her to the dark side.”

Director Stromberg and screenwriter Linda Woolverton were in agreement that they wanted to start off the story seeing Maleficent as a young child. “We actually get close to her right off the bat in the beginning of the film, and then we see how she meets Stefan,” says Stromberg. “Stefan and young Maleficent form a bond together early on in the film and so we get to see how that tragically widens over the film as they split and how they, over time, become enemies.”

With Angelina Jolie cast as Maleficent, Stromberg could not be happier. “Angelina Jolie is obviously perfect for the role,” comments Stromberg. “It’s the perfect marriage of actress and role in my opinion in a long time, and I think that ‘Maleficent’ will take us to a place where the audience will have fun seeing where she came from. There’s a lot of dark and a lot of light and there’s even humor in this film. There’s a little bit of something for everybody.”

Everyone familiar with Disney’s classic “Sleeping Beauty” knows what the animated Maleficent looked like, so getting the look right for the live-action film was important to both Stromberg and Angelina Jolie. “Angelina was really passionate about not only who the character was, but what the character looked like,” says Stromberg. “We worked together to come up with a character that wasn’t that stereotype image but was close enough that people would immediately know her to be Maleficent. We see Maleficent through different stages in her life and several types of looks up to the point where we see her as the iconic image that we all know.”

Disney's "Maleficent"..Maleficent (Angelina Jolie)..Ph: Film Still..?Disney 2014

Stromberg set out to bring his vision and the magic touch of his designs to “Maleficent” and relates how he approached the task, saying, “The other projects that I've done have a certain look to them and what I wanted to do on this film is not only have an element of fantasy and a surreal quality, but also make ‘Maleficent’ a bit more grounded in reality. In my other films, I’ve always taken the surreal elements and made them the strongest points and in ‘Maleficent’ we’ve started with real and are augmenting after the fact. It’s a new look.”

Research for the look of the film involved looking at a lot of reference materials. “In this case, I looked at a lot of classic paintings done by artists in the 17th century and 18th century, like The Hudson River School artists who just went out and painted landscapes that they heightened a bit,” says Stromberg. “So that became interesting to me, to create this classic look that has mostly realism in it and see where we could push that. It’s actually turned out to be something that’s quite elegant and beautiful but yet you get the sense that there’s fantasy involved.”

It was also important to Stromberg as a director to have enough of the elements of the 1959 animated “Sleeping Beauty” so that people will not be disappointed. “It was important that those people who recognize and are fans of the original classic film feel that they can not only see it realized in a new light but also see the genesis of some of those things that they saw in the original film,”explains Stromberg. “So it’s a new spin on Maleficent but at the same time we’ve woven in enough elements that people will immediately recognize it to be from the original film Sleeping Beauty.”

On completing his first directing job, Stromberg remarks, “I personally had a great time working with the actors, just opening up a new door for myself in communication and how that relates to the timing of other things and how art crosses over into the performances. For the first time, I’ve seen all the colors on the palette and that makes me really happy.”

Robert Stromberg hopes “that people who see this film will be not only thoroughly entertained but also feel that they have been immersed in a world and in a story that they wanted to stay in.”

Opening across the Philippines on May 28 in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D, “Maleficent”is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Sci-Fi Thriller "Interstellar" Releases Full Trailer!

6:13:00 PM

 Interstellar-Trailer-2

Warner Bros. Pictures has released a new trailer for Christopher Nolan’s futuristic thriller “Interstellar” starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine, among others. The trailer may be viewed at http://youtu.be/zG5iNA3O_Xs.

“Interstellar” brings to the screen a script based on the combination of an original idea by Christopher Nolan and an existing script by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. The new script chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

Interstellar-2

The film’s prestigious cast also includes Bill Irwin, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, David Gyasi, Wes Bentley, Mackenzie Foy, Timothée Chalamet, Topher Grace, David Oyelowo and Ellen Burstyn.

Opening across the Philippines on Nov. 6, 2014 in theaters and IMAX®, “Interstellar” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

[featured][carousel][5]

Copyright Notice

All work on this site is copyrighted and cannot be reprinted without express consent of the blogger.

Recent Posts

Recent Posts Widget

Random Posts