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The dirt and grime of medieval warfare is front and center in the international trailer for Ridley Scott's Robin Hood. We get a peek at a series of well choreographed battle scenes, featuring Russell Crowe as, for all intents and purposes, the gladiator of Sherwood Forest. Life in this re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend is clearly nasty, brutish and short, with bodies strewn across the battlefield and soldiers in full armor hacking away at one another in the surf.
The one bit of voice-over featured here has Crowe vowing to "rise and rise again, until lambs become lions." Again, all very reminiscent of his iconic role in Gladiator. But if it's done well, that's hardly a bad thing. Along the way we also get a first look at Cate Blanchett as Robin Hood's love Maid Marian, who, in the trailer (and in some separately released photos), looks as much battle-ready as beautiful.
Posted 12.15.09 by reelz -
Casting has officially begun on Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of The Hobbit, and Peter Jackson wants to see some of the same faces from his Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In an interview with MTV, Jackson stated that he would like to see Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving return as the elves Galadriel and Elrond, respectively. The story of The Hobbit takes place 60 years before events in Lord of the Rings, and since elves are immortal, Galadriel and Elrond would not have changed much in appearance. The same goes for the wizard Gandalf, and fans are anxious to see Ian McKellen return in that role as well.
There's nothing definitive, however, and Jackson gave an update as to where things stand with Blanchett and Weaving:
We have a process that would start with showing them the script. We're not [beginning] any official process until we have the "official" script that they can read. We already know that McKellen has seen the script, even gotten a copy of his own. So the question now becomes where Jackson, del Toro, et al are in the writing process.... It's two movies, and we've written the first script, which the studio responded well to. And we're now halfway through the second script.
Elrond does make an appearance in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, although Galadriel does not. However, including her does not seem like it would result in excessive artistic license. She is well present in the mythology and could easily be worked in to the story without diverting too much from Tolkien's blueprint.
Posted 12.09.09 by reelz -
First Showing has an excellent round-up of some of the latest photos from Ridley Scott's Robin Hood.
Among the finds are new shots of Russell Crowe as a battle-ready Robin, wearing a whole lot more armor than is traditional for the hero of Sherwood Forest. The Gladiator-esque direction it shows is definitley the direction the movie is headed, as Crowe explains in an on-set interview with Australian TV:
You've got 130 horses doing a full-speed gallop charging into 600 guys on the ground. And every man on the horse is going to do a half-dozen fight pieces. It was violent, anarchic, absolutely crazy.
Apparently the violence was not entirely cinematic either. Crowe goes on to explain (with a certain amount of relish) how the action got so heated a number of people were injured on set. And the next thing you know, someone really does poke out an eye. With a pike yet. Yikes.
It's not all blood and bashing heads though. Sandwiched in between Crowe's comments, and clips of some pretty intense battle scenes, there's also a first look at Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian.
Posted 10.27.09 by reelz -
Disney has released the first trailer for Ponyo, the newest movie from the acclaimed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, whose Spirited Away won the 2002 Oscar for Best Animated Film.
The movie tells the story of a goldfish princess who wants to become human and befriends a five-year-old boy. According to Nausicaa.net, the plot only superficially resembles the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale The Little Mermaid. The site Ghibli World, a collection site devoted to Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli, noted that elements of the story reference Die Walküre, a 19th-century Wagner opera. You might remember the opera's "Ride of the Valkyries" from the famous helicopter sequence in Apocalypse Now.
The English-language version of Ponyo is scheduled for a limited American release on August 14. It will feature the voices of Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Lily Tomlin, and Cloris Leachman, among others. Enjoy the trailer:
Posted 06.24.09 by reelz -
Today there's lots of action and loads of pictures from the set of Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, which is currently filming on the Welsh Coast.
Asked about the chemistry on set between himself and co-star Cate Blanchett (Maid Marian), the always quotable Russell Crowe (Robin Hood) summed it up like a soldier:
So far we have ridden horses together, seen off bad guys, got naked (partially), wallowed chin-deep in mud, danced by firelight, attended a funeral and kissed.... What can I say? It's an interesting gig.
Crowe goes on to describe the production as "gargantuan — the biggest I've ever worked with." From the number of people in period costume fighting it out on the beach, it certainly looks like it.
Posted 06.23.09 by reelz -
Elaborate sets are the order of the day as filming for Ridley Scott's Robin Hood begins in earnest. The Daily Mail has some new behind-the-scenes photos from the production, which is being filmed in the English countryside. The not-so-secret location is a bit removed from the real Sherwood forest because Robin's old haunts are apparently no longer leafy enough to create the right atmosphere.
The Mail's pictures show off the two principal shooting locations, a 2000-acre medieval village and a 1000-acre clearing that has been converted into a medieval fort town. The latter location is actually being used for a part of the movie that is set in France and the English king will mount a bloody assault on its central castle.
Robin (Russell Crowe) and Maid Marrion (Cate Blanchet) are now both on set, with Crowe reportedly on an intensive exercise regimen in a continuing effort to slim down for the role even as filming begins. Early reports had suggested that he might also play the Sheriff of Nottingham, but now that role is rumored to have been taken over by Matthew Macfadyen.
Posted 05.31.09 by reelz -
At the London Film Critics' Circle Awards last week, actor Mark Strong said he thinks Cate Blanchett is set to take over the Maid Marian role in the upcoming Ridley Scott Robin Hood flick, Nottingham.
Sienna Miller was originally set to play the part, but she was reportedly booted from the film for being too young and too slim. Ouch. Strong, who will play Guy of Gisborne in the movie, says Cate "is a wonderful actress and it would make it a much classier film if she was in it." Yes, Blanchett's a wonderful actress, but what does he mean with the "much classier" bit? Classier than if Miller was in it?
The poor girl has already been deemed too young, too skinny, too well-groomed and now the guy has to imply she's not classy enough. Sure, Sienna has been involved with a married dude, but let's remember this is a film that stars Russell Crowe, who has not only been involved with married people but has also violently thrown telephones at people. Talk about not classy.
Posted 02.09.09 by reelz -
David Fincher has been working to bring F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story to the big screen for years. This December 19th, his vision will finally be realized in a movie that will surely be one of 2008's Oscar contenders. A foreign trailer has been leaking around the net (you might just find it if you look hard enough) and it looks quite good.
Brad Pitt stars as Button, a man who was born old and ages in reverse. At 50, he meets and falls in love with a 30-year old woman named Daisy (Cate Blanchett) and as their relationship blooms, the two are aging in opposite directions. While on the course of his most unusual life, Button experiences life in reverse, from a withered old man to a war vet to a soldier to college, prep school and, ultimately, a newborn baby.
This most unusual story is adapted for the screen by Eric Roth, whose acclaimed list of credits includes Forrest Gump, The Horse Whisperer and Munich.
We'll bring you more on this highly original project as we hear it!
Posted 06.11.08 by reelz -
For those looking for a less serious take on Oscar Week, we present ReelzChannel Awards. Today's Award: Best Genderbendiest Performance in a Major Motion Picture:
 | John Travolta
Hairspray |
 | Cate Blanchett
I'm Not There |
 | Eddie Murphy
Norbit |
Take the poll and vote for Best Genderbendiest Performance in a Major Motion Picture.
Posted 02.23.08 by Dack -
Everyone and their aunt thinks Cate Blanchett is an amazing actress--with good reason, of course. Add to that group the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, who will be bestowing their annual Modern Master Award to the Australian powerhouse at this year's ceremony.
Blanchett, who can be seen reprising her role as Queen Elizabeth in Elizabeth: The Golden Age as of this Friday has been receiving early oscar buzz for the film already. But whether or not that little golden man is meant to go home with her, the Santa Barbarans are ready to crown her their queen.
The 23rd annual Santa Barbara Film Festival will run from Jan. 24 to Feb. 3, 2008. For more information, click here.
Posted 10.09.07 by reelz