Jesse Eisenberg Sues Over Misleading Camp Hell DVD Cover

Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment are facing a lawsuit filed by Jesse Eisenberg over the DVD cover of the low budget horror film Camp Hell. The DVD cover art prominently features The Social Network stars name and face, which is apparently a major oversell in terms of Eisenberg’s involvement in the movie.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Eisenberg is suing Lionsgate and Grindhouse over the cover, “for allegedly turning his less-than-five-minute cameo in the horror flick Camp Hell into an above-the-title star turn. The complaint states that the actor is suing in order to warn his fans that, despite how it looks on the DVD cover, he’s not the star of the film, nor does he play a prominent role in the movie. He’s also looking for $3 million in damages. Considering that’s more than what it cost to make the movie, they may as well have hired him to star in it to begin with.

John Carter Gets A Brand New Poster

The new trailer for Disney's John Carter is scheduled to arrive online this Thursday. Last week the news brought six new stills from the film, which showed off the stunning landscapes, alien creatures, and star Taylor Kitsch. But just as I predicted, the marketing is only starting to ramp up and today we have a brand new poster

Starring Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Hayden Church, and Willem Dafoe, John Carter makes the live-action debut of Pixar director Andrew Stanton, whose previous films include A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo and WALL-E. His new film, based on the novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is about a civil war veteran who is mysteriously transported to Mars. Dealing with strange creatures and discovered abilities on the red planet, he must both try to find a way home and save a princess from a life of misery.

Beginners And Tree Of Life Tie For Top Gotham Independent Film Award

The first film awards show of the season is also among the smallest, but it's always good to kick off the back-patting and celebrating with the Gotham Independent Film Awards, which celebrate the kind of small-scale indies that typically get clobbered when the Oscars roll around. The prizes were handed out last night, and for the first time in the 21-year history of the Gothams, there was a tie for Best Picture. Both Beginners, Mike Mills's autobiographical dramedy about the death of his father, and Terrence Malick's Tree of Life shared the Best Picture prize, with Beginners also taking home the Best Ensemble trophy.

Though both Beginners and Tree of Life are in the hunt for Oscars, though possibly not for Best Picture, the rest of the Gothams went to films that likely won't factor there at all. Felicity Jones, who won the Best Actress prize at the Sundance Film Festival, added another trophy for that performance, taking home Breakthrough Actor for her indie Like Crazy, and beating out bigger names like Martha Marcy May Marlene's Elizabeth Olsen and The Descendants' Shailene Woodley in the process. Pariah director Dee Rees won Breakthrough Director, and Better This World, a documentary about two young American men arrested on terrorist charges, won Best Documentary. The award for Best Film Not Playing In A Theater Near You went to Scenes of a Crime, a documentary about police interrogation that played a series of festivals this year.

What's nice about the Gothams is that you don't really need to tie them into a larger awards narrative, or try to figure out how these awards might give people heat for the rest of awards season. These are just statues that reward good work, and with such a solid slate of nominees, every winner is more than deserving. You can check out a lot of the winning performances and films on DVD or in theaters right now too, so really, everybody wins.

Tom Hanks Heading Back Into Battle For WWII-Era Drama

Tom Hanks, Oscar-winning star of Saving Private Ryan and producer behind Band of Brothers, hopes to be heading back to war for an adaptation of Erik Larson’s non-fiction best-seller In the Garden of Beasts.

Universal has optioned the rights to Larson’s story for Hanks and his producing shingle, Playtone, and will position it as a vehicle for the leading man, The Hollywood Reporter reports. Hanks would play William Dodd, America’s ambassador to Berlin in the early 1930s who gradually realized the atrocities that were being conducted around him as World War II escalated. Adding to the mix, according to the trade, is Dodd’s daughter Martha, who was romantically involved with Gestapo officials and even dated a Societ spy, no doubt complicating matters for Dodd.

The scenario appears to create a lot of gray area in which Hanks, an immensely talented actor who’s rarely tested, can explore. The actor’s an obvious student of history, and shows an overwhelming fascination in WWII. This passion can only help Beasts as it works its way to the screen.

Now we’re left to wonder if Hanks can lure his Band of Brothers collaborator Steven Spielberg back over to Universal – where he create so many masterpieces – for yet another WWII drama. If that would be the case, it might put Beasts on a temporary backburner, as Spielberg’s busy shooting Lincoln. But wouldn’t it be worth the wait? So long as Hanks doesn’t try to direct it himself, for as much as I love That Thing You Do!, I don’t think any of us can risk seeing Larry Crowne behind enemy lines.

Bret McKenzie Hints At A Possible Flight Of The Conchords Movie

While walking the red carpet for James Bobin’s The Muppets -- to which he served as music supervisor -- Bret McKenzie told The Hollywood Reporter that a feature film structured around the comedy-musical duo Flight of the Conchords is on his radar, but rabid fans might want to slow the hell down because, you know, movies take time.

“We’re gonna try and do a movie,” McKenzie told the trade. “We just need a story.”

Obviously. And when pressed on the matter a little bit further, McKenzie joked, “I’m gonna go back to New Zealand tomorrow, maybe film it next week. And then edit it the week after… I don’t know how familiar you are with movies, but there’s a lot of behind the scenes stuff that could take one or two weeks. Probably in about a month we’ll have a premiere.”

As if McKenzie actually had the time. He’s currently filming a part in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, where he’ll play Lindir, the Elf of Rivendell. “I’ve never seen anything so massive,” McKenzie says of Jackson’s adaptation.

As for Conchord, sure, it’s great to hear that he’s like to make a Flight movie with colleague Jemaine Clement. But is this going to become the new Arrested Development, where McKenzie’s asked about little else until a movie reaches theaters? They don’t even have a story yet. They’d like to make a movie. Of course they’d like to make a movie! Who wouldn’t? And while I like Conchords, I’d rather hear about a Wire or Sopranos feature film if we’re talking HBO adaptations … and something tells me we’re just as close to those

Vin Diesel's Chronicles of Riddick Sequel Reportedly Secures Funding

Fans who subscribe to Vin Diesel’s Facebook page (I’m not joking) already know two things. One, Vin loves you. He says it all of the time. Second, he’s passionate about making a third Chronicles of Riddick film with writer/director/collaborator David Twohy. He has shared Riddick-inspired artwork and potential costume design with fans through social media, but has kept mum on specific details. Production on a Pitch Black sequel hit a snag when money dried up, but TMZ says the wheels are turning once again as cash flows back into Riddick’s coffers.

The gossip site says that the Montreal studio where parts of the sequel are being filmed has opened its doors to cast and crew now that the production company footing the bills has paid off its debt. The site even says that disgruntled Riddick crew members who went a while without being paid can expect to see compensation “in the very near future.” As TMZ states, this is but one step back toward a Riddick sequel reaching theaters, but it’s a major step for what’s expected to be a moderately-budgeted sci-fi thriller.

And why not bankroll Diesel on this effort? You know he;s passionate about the character. The Fast and Furious films demonstrate his bankability as an action star. And yet, Universal’s last stab at a Riddick film – 2004’s The Chronicles of Riddick -- tapped out at $57.7 million against a reported $105 million production budget. The keys for Diesel and crew, now that money’s available, will be to tighten the budget, squeeze every penny out of the expense report, and deliver a slam-bang Riddick film that fans of all generations will want to see.

According to TMZ, filming on this untitled Riddick sequel resumes on Dec. 28, which probably explains Diesel’s latest status update, “I have a good feeling about this winter …”

Curtis Hanson Has To Hand His Surf Drama Over To Michael Apted

Complications surrounding Curtis Hanson’s recent heart surgery will force the L.A. Confidential director to step away from his curtly-shooting picture, Of Men and Mavericks, though he’ll receive support from an equally qualified filmmaker who’ll step in a guide the production for a few days.

Michael Apted, award-winning director of the Up documentary series, will take over Hanson’s Northern California set and complete the final 15 days of principal photography on the director’s surfing drama, Deadline reports. Men, produced by Walden Media, tells the true story of surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered a specific break off of California’s coast that became known as Mavericks. Newcomer Jonny Weston is on board playing Moriarty in the film. He’ll be joined by Gerard Butler, Abigail Spencer and Elisabeth Shue.

Apted’s no stranger to feature film work, having helmed the most recent Chronicles of Narnia film (for Walden), the James Bond thriller The World Is Not Enough, Jodie Foster’s Nell and Gorillas In the Mist.

It’s unclear just how much footage Apted will have to shoot for Hanson, or whether Hanson will be back in time to begin the editing process. As of right now, Men has scheduled an October 2012 release, which should give Hanson time to complete a final cut should he be able to overcome these unfortunate health complications that have popped up due to his surgery. Though Hanson helmed the TV movie Too Big to Fail, about our nation’s financial meltdown, his last theatrical release was 2007’s Lucky You with Drew Barrymore, and his fans were hoping he could rebound with a winning drama. We’re pulling for Hanson, for his health, and for Of Men and Mavericks.

John Lithgow Joins Ferrell And Galifianakis In Dog Fight

John Lithgow has proven to be just as adept at comedy as he is at drama. The success of the '90's sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun is one example of that. The actor has a number of projects coming up, among which is a role in Warner Bros' comedy Dog Fight alongside Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis.

Variety posted the news, stating that the film is set to be directed by Jay Roach (Austin Powers) and follows two rival politicians (Ferrell and Galifianakis) as they run for a congressional seat in a small North Carolina District Election. Variety doesn’t specify what role Lithgow will play in the film, only that he's been cast. This is pure speculation here but perhaps he’ll be another, more serious (and possibly villainous) rivaling politician, or perhaps the father to Ferrell or Galifianakis’ character.

In recent years, Lithgow has appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes and CBS’ How I Met Your Mother. He also delivered and excellent, Emmy-winning performance as Arthur Mitchell (aka Trinity) in Season 4 of Showtime’s Dexter. Coming up, he’s see to appear in New Year’s Eve and further down the line, Judd Apatow’s This is 40.

Daniel Craig Is Suited Up On Set For Skyfall in Trafalgar Square

Daniel Craig was suited up and looking fittingly dapper on the set of the latest installment of the James Bond franchise Skyfall. While not much is known about the movie, beyond the title and the cast, at the very least, these photos indicate that Bond hasn’t lost his sense of fashion.

The last set photo we posted told us that Scene 45 of the much anticipated 2012 Bond film was taking place in a bathroom, and not a very nice one at that.












Just Jared posted more recent photos, which were taken in London’s Trafalgar Square last Saturday and feature Daniel Craig as Bond, dressed in a suit and long-ish jacket. Check out two of them below.


There isn’t really much to say about the above photos other than that Craig looks really good dressed up, but we already knew that. Most of the photos posted at Just Jared show people in the background. Trafalger Square’s known to be a bit touristy, but it’s also a pretty fantastic looking location. It’ll be interesting to see what’s filmed there and how much of it makes it into the movie.

Kate Beckinsale Points Her Massive Gun In Four Underworld: Awakening Images

Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is back in action and loaded for battle as Underworld: Awakening prepares to open early next year. In anticipation of the fourth Underworld film (and the first to be filmed in 3Dm using RED EPIC digital cameras), Screen Gems has released four images from the upcoming production. As you might have guessed, they feature the goth Beckinsale decked in leather and pointing a blazing hand cannon. We have them below.














Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein are directing Awakening, though the script is credited to original helmer Len Wiseman, John Hlavin, and Allison Burnett. The plot involves a war between vampires, Lycan, and humankind – who has discovered the existence of the previous two monster races, and is uniting in an effort to eradicate them from the face of the earth. Selene joins forces with her fellow creatures to fight back against humans. She’s aided in her quest by Detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy), Eve (India Eisley), Dr. Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea) and Quint (Kris Holden-Ried).

Just don’t expect to see Scott Speedman returning to the role of Michael Corvin, from the original film. The actor has said in multiple interviews that he will not be reprising his role, though true franchise fans hope he’s just throwing them off of his scent. We’ll know soon enough, as Underworld: Awakening opens in theaters on Jan. 20, 2012.