There's an interview with Robert Downey Jr. in Collider that's got me thinking about the actors in Marvel's very lucrative superhero stable. When the website's Steve "Frosty" Weintraub asked the actor if he's going to sign on for several more Marvel movies or take them "one at a time", Downey responded that he wasn't sure but then added candidly: "Let’s just say that me, the agents and the lawyers are having a bit of a ball right now." more »
Joseph Gordon-Levitt had quite a blockbuster 2012 with roles in The Dark Knight Rises, Lincoln and Looper, but he's holding onto his indie big screen roots at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Aside from his feature directorial debut, Don Jon's Addiction, which will bow in the festival's Premieres section, the actor and now filmmaker has been tapped to host the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony.
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut Don Jon's Addiction will be among the headliners at the Berlin International Film Festival's Panorama program. Starring Gordon-Levitt along with Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore and Tony Danza, the feature revolves around a modern-day Don Juan who attempts to change his ways. The film will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month.
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Most first-time filmmakers don't have a posse of A-listers filling roles in their films. But then again, most first-time directors aren't Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The charming actor is taking his turn behind the camera (though he's also in front) with Don Jon's Addiction, which will have its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in the event's Premieres section in January.
Sundance didn't readily have an image from Don Jon's Addiction available when they rolled out their 2013 lineup late last week and earlier this week, but this one turned up with a demure looking Scarlett Johansson appearing to size-up Josheph Gordon-Levitt (or maybe the other way around) in what appears to be a club? video bar? new age art installation?
Also starring Julianne Moore, Sundance did not give too much detail about the film but it will likely be a hot title to watch... One thing is for sure, Gordon-Levitt is having a good run after a year of The Dark Knight Rises (and all the ensuing Batman/Robin Hood rumors), Looper and Lincoln.
The minimal Sundance Film Festival description follows:
In Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s charming directorial debut, a selfish modern-day Don Juan attempts to change his ways. Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Rob Brown.
Quick, name your favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie and scene. With the Master of Suspense getting a lot of attention this fall, thanks to the HBO movie, The Girl, and the theatrical feature Hitchcock, which opens in limited release on Friday, Movieline decided these would be good questions to ask of the celebrity contingent that showed up for the New York premiere of the latter film on Sunday.
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Scarlett Johansson is channeling screen legend Janet Leigh in this depiction of the cult movie Psycho's famous (or infamous) shower scene. Johansson is, of course, portraying Leigh's character Marion Crane in the upcoming Oscar contender Hitchcock, which will have its world premiere as the opening night film at AFI Fest November 1st.
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Also in Thursday's round-up of news briefs, Disney Publishing is planning a book for Tim Burton fans who can't get enough of Frankenweenie. Also this afternoon, a couple of new films that will be heading their way to theaters.
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Oscar-winner George Clooney lent his voice to President Obama's campaign for a video introduction Thursday night to close out the Democratic National Convention, but it was a trio of leading ladies — Kerry Washington, Scarlett Johansson, and Eva Longoria — who gave the DNC a rousing jolt of star power in Charlotte, NC.
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Also in Wednesday afternoon's round-up of news briefs, Fantastic Fest will close out its September event with Red Dawn. And David Slade is the eyed for a Disney pic based on a young-adult novel.
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Scarlett Johansson's sexy pillowy voice has once again been lent to recorded music. The Avengers star joined French recording star Lulu Gainsbourg for a club-loungy version of Bonnie & Clyde. The song is just one from other notables who took part in an album, which Gainsbourg created as a tribute for his father, Serge Gainsbourg. Other famous voices bellowing for the album called From Gainsbourg to Lulu are Iggy Pop, Rufus Wainwright as well as Johnny Depp and now ex Vanessa Paradis.
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Also in Wednesday afternoon's round up news, iTunes heads to major Asian markets for music and movies. World's oldest and biggest LGBT film festival announces its winners, the Directors Guild names awards dinner chair, while BAFTA announces its new chairman. CBGB film festival locks its program and Hayden Christensen can proceed with a lawsuit.
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Cannes has a soft spot for Scottish director Ken Loach. His latest film, The Angels' Share, is his eleventh film in competition and he even won the Palme d'Or for The Wind That Shakes the Barley back in 2006. His latest, a comedy — or perhaps more precisely a dramatic-comedy — is a rarity of sorts for the director who is accustomed to critical acclaim though his well-crafted films can leave audiences depressed. But The Angels' Share involves a pack of offenders hoping to turn good, a last ditch crime, and a whole lot of high brow whiskey. The story serves as one more canvas for the plight of the working class. And for this screening, Cannes used subtitles to guide audiences through the characters' thick Scottish brogue.
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The Oscars are staying put for another 20 years, and before Scarlett Johansson joined the Avengers, another superhero was in line for the feature. Read on for that revelation and more in Tuesday's latest Biz Break.
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The Avengers is less a movie than a novelization of itself, an oversized, self-aware picture designed mostly for effect: That of reliving the experience of a movie you’ve seen before and just can’t get enough of. The picture is broken down into narrative chunks that ultimately don’t tell much of a story – what you get instead is a series of mini-climaxes held together by banter between characters. The idea, maybe, is that people already love Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk and Thor so much — like, so, so much — that all a filmmaker really needs to do is put them all into a big stock pot filled with elaborate set pieces and some knowing dialogue and he’s golden. And maybe, given the heightened-lowered expectations of movie audiences, that really is all he has to do: It's possible to have looked forward to a movie all year, to enjoy watching it, and then to have completely forgotten about it the following week.
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Filming is underway on the other period behind-the-scenes Alfred Hitchcock flick -- this one stars Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel as starlet Vera Miles, Anthony Hopkins as Hitch and Helen Mirren as his wife Alma -- and the very first photo from the pic has hit the web. In it, buried somewhere beneath layers of prosthetics and make-up and balding hair, is Sir Anthony as the iconic auteur. Toby Jones, eat your heart out.
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