Tuesday, October 25, 2011

ERIC BANA IN "ELVIS & NIXON"! GARY OLDMAN & HELENA BONHAM CARTER IN "AKIRA" SF EPIC! BEN AFFLECK TO HELM "THE STAND"? JOEL KINNAMAN & KIT HARINGTON ARE "ARTHUR & LANCELOT"?

One of the biggest pieces of news this weekend was the one about David Dobkin's epic ARTHUR AND LANCELOT, the project which, as you remember, made Warner ditch Bryan Singer's
idea of remaking EXCALIBUR. Apparently two actors who have already done screen testing for the two title roles are two super charming young lads - Joel Kinnaman from THE KILLING show, and Kit Harington known as John Snow, one of the most popular characters from GAME OF THRONES. It is not clear who will get which role - who will be King Arthur and who will be his first knight. According to other rumors around the Net, other actors who are being considered for the roles are Sam Claflin from PILLARS OF THE EARTH and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, Liam Hemsworth from HUNGER GAMES, Dominic Cooper and Jim Sturgess. The $90 million movie will bring a modern re imagining of the classic legend.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S HEADLINES
Not sure why, but Warner Bros. has given Ben Affleck the helm behind THE STAND movie adaptation. As "Deadline" reports
this sf epic by Stephen King follows a group of survivors battling each other after a man-made plague wipes out most of humanity. This complex sf epic should hit theaters in 2013. Last week I've informed you that TRON's Garrett Hedlund is the top candidate for the lead role in the expensive movie adaptation of sf anime AKIRA, which will be set in a futuristic Manhattan, and now two new names are mentioned for some other roles according to "MovieWeb": Gary Oldman has been offered the role of Colonel, while Helena Bonham Carter is apparently circling the role of Lady Miyako!

 Here are two interesting things: first - Cary Elwes is starting a directorial career with ELVIS AND NIXON, second -the king of rock'n'roll will be played by Australian star Eric Bana. According to "Hollywood Reporter", the story will revolve around a visit which Elvis Presley paid to Richard Nixon at the White House back in 1970. The meeting was initiated by Elvis Presley, who wrote Richard Nixon a six-page letter requesting a visit and suggesting that he be made a "Federal Agent-at-Large" in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Elvis Presley brought with him family photos and a Colt 45 pistol as a personal gift to the president. Danny Huston will apparently play Nixon.

37 comments:

  1. I'll admit I'm having a hard time seeing Eric Bana as Elvis. :/

    I'm interested in that Arthur and Lancelot project, though. It will be fun to see who gets those parts. Some hot contenders are in the race. :)

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  2. Wow, Eric Bana, huh? Sounds like a must see.

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  3. @Luanne
    you do? But he even has a very similar voice :)
    Casting for ARTHUR AND LANCELOT will be our fav new passtime but I'm a bit puzzled with the idea to go with relatively unknown actors...

    @Erin
    Bana is always wow :)

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  4. The Stand should be interesting, but I'm not sure how it would translate into a movie because it is so complex.

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  5. yep, Stephen said that himself :)

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  6. Eric Bana as Elvis? Hmmm. I don't know, but I'll watch him in anything. :)

    I read The Stand ages ago. I never saw it as movie material. Maybe mini series material since it's long and complicated.

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  7. Ben Affleck is an interesting choice, he did a great job on Gone Baby Gone, but I don't know if he will be able to tackle The Stand. My biggest concern with this is, are they going to try and condense it into one film or man it an epic Lord of the Rings style trilogy or make as many fins as it take to make a faithful adaption. I think The Stand would make a better T.V series (similar style to The Walking Dead) then a film/films.

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  8. I don't know much about Elvis but he doesn't look like Elvis. However, makeup does wonders.

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  9. Dezzy - Eric Bana looks great with short hair. Yum!

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  10. Looking forward to the new Arthur and Lancelot!
    This is Avalon by the way, blogger still wont allow me to sign in:(

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  11. I love all things King Arthur so I am very excited for this movie. Cary Elwes certainly has chosen an interesting project and I'm curious to see what Bana will do as Elvis. By 1970 Elvis was a caricature of himself and not in his right mind all the time which is why he made this strangest of requests to Nixon. Should be fun to see the not-so-pretty Elvis that they always show.

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  12. I love the King Arthur tales too, even if some were rather crappy. But how many times are they going to tell the same thing over and over again. I hope they skip the origin story, seen that one too many times. But should be good none the less.

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  13. i always see a sexy ape when i look at helena bonham carter now.

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  14. So far, I have liked Ben AFflek's directional projects, even if I'm not one of many. Still lets hope he does better with this one.

    Really looking forward to Arthur and Lancelot

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  15. Apparently when Elvis visited Nixon wanting to be made a federal agent in the war against drugs, he was stoned out of his mind on whatever cocktails of pills he was habitually on. Nixon was diplomatic about turning down his request.

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  16. cool another stephen king movie

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  17. I've always loved the story of Camelot. I hope it will be as good as First Knight. I am looking forward to THE STAND. The TV movie was pretty good, but I've always wanted to see a big screen adaptation of that. That trip of Elvis to the White House has always fascinated me... that should make some movie!

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  18. yay! for king arthur tales, but i'm with kane and lyn on the stand. it's such a BIGGGG story!

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  19. I wonder if that guy from the killing will be able to say 'yo yo yo bitch' as King Arthur?

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  20. Elvis and Nixon...this actually happened, could be very watchable.

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  21. Ben Affleck by Stephen King definitely will be on my have to watch list!
    hugs from New York,
    xx
    Ask Erena
    http://askerena.blogspot.com/

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  22. Affleck and the Stand gives me pause.
    Elvis and Nixon, now there's a pair :-[

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  23. @Medeia and Kane
    yep, Stephen King said himself that the material is too complex. Maybe they will do something with it like they wanted to do with DARK TOWER - three films and two seasons of TV show

    @Clarissa
    I think he could pull it off, if Jonathan Rhys Meyers did it, so can Eric :)

    @Shells
    he does, doesn't he?

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  24. @Avalon
    you haven't tried the thing with unclicking the REMEMBER ME box at the start page?

    @Melsy
    yep, Elvis was totally crazy at the end of his career, kinda like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Britney Spears, Amy Winehouse ... OH, my, seems stardom is always a road to craziness...

    @Pat
    I love those legends too, but I also wish they would cover some of other medieval legends, there are plenty of them. Why not doing Galahad, Gawain, or some even earlier stories...

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  25. @Edmund
    oh, Edmund, I love when you get naughty :)

    @Dempsey
    must admit I can't stand Ben and his mate Damon. Lack of talent and too much arrogance for my taste.

    @Debra
    he he you're onto something here agent Debs :)

    @Adam
    glad you like it

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  26. @Doralynn
    glad you liked all of today's news, Doralynn! We shall keep our fingers crossed for ARTHUR AND LANCELOT, but I'm not raising my hopes since it is being directed by a comedy director

    @Vics
    it is way too big. I've never liked King's adaptations :(

    @Interwebs
    indeed you must

    @Scott
    why would he say that, Scottie? You kinda lost me here ...;)

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  27. @Lurk
    it was obviously a strange event :)

    @Erena
    greetings to New York

    @Mary
    a pair indeed :) Hope we won't be watching BUSH/BRITNEY SPEARS film in about 20 years :)

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  28. I think Kit Harrington might make an interesting Lancelot. I don't know most of the other actors up for the role, or for Arthur.
    I like Eric Bana, good actor, but can he be Elvis? It may be easier to play Nixon :)
    Thanks for the news Dezz - two to watch for me.

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  29. Fabo, we don't know yet who of those actors was offered Lancelot and Arthur role, which means Kit could be the king as well :) But it will surely be a pet project for me and I'm looking forward to following the casting process in the upcoming days.

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  30. Just looking at them, I'd say Joel Kinnaman is Arthur.

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  31. Arthur and Lancalot?
    Arthurian Legends & characters never seem to go out of interest-(I personally adore them all, even the bad guys) and lately they are personas are boomin' why do you all suppose that is.
    btw Arthur was a few years older than Lance so...

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  32. @Josh
    but he is also the naughtier one, which makes him suitable for Lancelot too :P

    @Jo
    ah, you and your philosophical questions, Jo :)

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  33. John Snow looks different without his beard and curly hair ;)

    Ben Affleck for The Stand? I hope he will do justice to one of my favorite king's book

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  34. he does :) It's interesting that he doesn't have a lot of pics, I had difficulties finding this one.

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  35. Oh Eric Bana... be still my heart. I'm not a big fan of Elvis but my mother was. I think he can be made to look like him, though generally I'm not too intrigued by this film.

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  36. I'm also not a fan of Elvis :) And I probably won't be watching the film, but I do think Eric could do the job perfectly.

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