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Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg Tease Next Film

Damon Houx — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:15:02 +0000

Post-Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, we haven’t heard much of what Edgar Wright has been up to. Sure, he’s hosted a couple of festivals at The New Beverly in Los Angeles, but other than rumors of Ant-Man, nothing. So yesterday on Twitter, Wright laid out what looks to be his next project: The World’s End. For those in the know, that’s the supposed third film in the “Cornetto trilogy” he plans to complete with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

If one trusts that this picture was taken yesterday, it’s going to be a while before we see it, as Simon Pegg’s Star Trek 2 has just begun shooting. It’s likely that Trek will keep him occupied over the next four to six months, but both men are nothing if not hard workers.

This also raises a number of questions: Will it be shot in England? Seems likely as it’s of a piece. And then when will they be able to get to it? All three are coming off of The Adventures of Tintin, which may not have been a big hit in America, but has made over $300 Million worldwide. Then again, that’s supposed to be directed by Peter Jackson, who’s got his Hobbit films to worry about. And then there’s the script… Still, this is great news.

What do you think the third film in their trilogy will be about?

The Adventures of Tintin – Movie Review

Damon Houx — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:00:22 +0000

With The Adventures of Tintin, Steven Spielberg has finally decided to play with some of the newest toys of cinema, and in his first motion capture film, he revolutionizes the format. Moreso than Avatar, here Spielberg is let loose to play with the camera as he sees fit, and you can see an invigorated director who’s able to stage sequences in ways that would be unimaginable in live action. And that’s enough to make it a must-see.

The Players:

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Steven Moffatt, Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish
Cast: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Music: John Williams

The Plot:

After purchasing a antique minature ship, Tintin (Bell) is targeted by Ivanovich Sakharine (Craig) and his minions. The ship holds a secret and Tintin uncovers it with just enough time to be kidnapped and put to sea. There he meets Captain Haddock (Serkis) a drunk with a connection to that mystery. It seems if three pieces of a puzzle are put together, a treasure will be revealed. And it turns out that Ivanovich and Haddock’s family have a long standing grudge.

The Good:

Spielberg’s Camera: Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest working directors, and the man has always been one of the most technically proficient filmmakers in the history of cinema. Here, unmoored from having a practical camera, he’s able to do things that just aren’t humanly possible in live action. From a spectacular one-shot action sequence, to how he moves a camera on a boat, it’s like watching a maestro given everything he’s ever wanted. But even the introduction of Tintin via his famous hair is a delight. The man is just that good.
Andy Serkis: Though Jamie Bell’s Tintin is more avatar than action star, Serkis’s Captain Haddock is a delightful character who goes from fall down drunk to avenger of a family legacy. It’s a fun role, and he makes the best impression of the cast, though Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are charming as the bumbling Thompson twins (yes, the band was named after them).
That One Shot: Seriously, there is no better action sequence this or any other year than the one shot of Tintin and Haddock trying to get a scrap of paper as a broken dam sends water flooding down on them, and bad guys are chasing them. Spielberg’s sense of action in films like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom has never left the master, and it’s one of those shots that left me cackling in delight.
Sense of Adventure: It’s easy to say that this is better than the last Indiana Jones film. But it’s also fair to say that it’s better than the last two Indiana Jones films.

The Bad:

Tintin, Kinda Boring: If there’s a problem with the film it’s that as an adult this doesn’t have the sort of lead that’s exceptional. Tintin is a young reporter who’s not a total blank, but is meant to be an audience surrogate for the children in the audience. The script does what they can with the character, and it’s a fun movie and story regardless, but if the film has one drawback, it’s that the main character is a bit of a blank.
Sequels: The film treats a follow-up like a an afterthought, and though the film works on its own merits, it’s still the shortest theatrical film Spielberg has ever made. It’s nice that the film’s reasonably tight, but the ending undercuts some goodwill by insisting there will be more.

Overall:

Robert Zemeckis blanched at the idea that Motion-Capture movies are animated films, but if they are, then Tintin is easily the best animated film of the year. It’s a ridiculously entertaining film that never outstays its welcome.

Rating: 8.8/10

The Adventures of Tintin hits theaters December 21.

Photos:

Trailer:

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – Movie Review

Damon Houx — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:00:29 +0000

Though he took his licks for his public insanity, Tom Cruise is now back as a movie star in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. But perhaps more exciting for film geeks is the launch of Brad Bird as a live-action director. The two work together to create a stunning action movie that’s lightweight but filled with all the great action one hopes for in an event film.

The Players:

Director: Brad Bird
Writers: Josh Applebaum, Andre Nemec
Stars: Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway
Cinematography: Robert Elswitt
Music: Michael Giacchino

The Plot:

When a Russian steals nuclear bomb codes and turns Ethan Hunt (Cruise) into a patsy for the bombing of the Kremlin, the Impossible Mission Force is shut down, and its agents go into “Ghost Protocol” mode. That means their actions are unsanctioned but they must work just the same. Hunt’s team this time is Jane (Patton), who just lost an agent in a recent mission; Benji (Pegg), who’s been upgraded to field agent, and Brandt (Renner) – who may not be what he appears. They’re trying to stop a madman who wants to detonate a lot of nuclear weapons with little time or resources.

The Good:

Action: The set pieces in this film are large scale and mostly practical. From an opening prison break to the justly revered Dubai building climb, to the end set piece in a car manufacturing plant, all the action beats are huge and impressive. Bird understands the action rhythms and – perhaps more importantly – how to complicate a big action sequence. When Cruise goes climbing on one of the biggest buildings in the world his electronic wall-climbing gloves don’t work as well as they should, and it takes an already intense sequence to the next level.
Imax: And Bird also understands how to use the Imax camera. When Cruise is up on that huge building in Dubai, it’s vertiginous.
Renner is not a mole: The Mission: Impossible films have often fallen back on the premise that there’s a rogue agent dealing secrets – it’s been the plot of the last three movies. Originally Jeremy Renner was set to take over the franchise, but when they reworked the script to keep Cruise on the team, it seemed like they could go that route again. Thankfully, he’s only just a little green in the field, which is mostly charming.
Professionalism: Though it’s also one of the weakest elements of the film (see below), what’s great about the film is it’s about a team of skilled professionals dealing with problems on the fly.

The Bad:

Ethan Hunt: Where James Bond and John McClane have interesting personalities, the main character here is a complete blank, and four pictures in, the only defining characteristics of Hunt are that he’s really good at his job, and he’s played by Tom Cruise. It’s the one thing that keeps this series from being great. And though the mole plotlines were worn out in the franchise, it at least gives the films personal stakes. For a film about the world possibly ending, there’s little weight to the proceedings, and so the set pieces impress but they don’t draw you in like they do when you really care about a character. Unfortunately everyone else has slightly more compelling reasons to be there.
Tom Cruise: Just shy of 50, Cruise is still trying to be the action star he was ten or twenty years ago. And though he’s a fine leading man, when he runs (and he runs a lot in this picture) or takes his shirt off, that age shows. At this point Cruise should really start moving into older man roles, because it’s starting to get gross.

Overall:

Even if the main character is kind of a stiff, the action sequences are spectacular enough to make this a must-see in the theaters. And if Brad Bird was using this to audition for other bigger things, he’s passed it.

Rating: 7.7/10

Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol opens everywhere December 21.

Photos:

Trailer:

Quick Look: The Adventures of Tintin

Damon Houx — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:09:40 +0000

Last night the AFI festival hosted the first public screening of director Steven Spielberg‘s The Adventures of Tintin. Or, that is to say, the first public screening in America – the film has been open outside of the U.S. for more than a month, and has already made over $100 Million internationally. Spielberg’s first animated/motion-captured film, it stars Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in an adventure story where Tintin comes across clues to pirate treasure. We’ll have a longer review when the film is released, but check out our quick thoughts…

Though much lighter and much more kid-centric than the Indiana Jones films, Tintin was approached by Spielberg from a child’s perspective, and so Tintin (played by Jamie Bell) is much gentler and far less quotable than Indy. That’s not a knock on the film, merely an acknowledgement that those looking for Raiders redux will be disappointed. That said, it’s also a better action movie than the last Indy adventure, and maybe a little better than Last Crusade. Untethered from cranes or having to worry about where the camera is, Spielberg’s visual panache is unmatched, and there is an extended one shot action set piece that validates his decision to do this animated. If W.C. Fields complained about working with children and animals (Tintin has a charming dog named Snowy), Spielberg’s found the best workaround.

And when Spielberg removed guns from E.T. for the special edition, there was a worry that he had gotten a little soft. So when Tintin goes for a gun early on there’s a slight transgressive thrill – and Tintin uses that gun from time to time (that said, never at people). Though it takes a while to get going, once the adventure starts, the film becomes nearly non-stop action as Tintin is kidnapped and sent to the Middle East where the evil Sakharine (Daniel Craig) has both Tintin and Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) held hostage in the hopes of uncovering pirate treasure. Tintin escapes with Haddock and they must figure out the secret of his lineage.

Though the script by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish is solid, the real delight here is watching Spielberg play, and though there were definite sequences in his Jurassic Park films that had Spielberg firing on all cylinders, this movie is more consistently entertaining, and Spielberg’s classic cleverness stamps the film repeatedly. A great sequence tends to make me cackle and there are a number here that are awe inspiring in his staging. Seeing Spielberg – one of the greatest living directors – have this much fun is infectious. The Adventures of Tintin opens December 21 stateside and it’s well worth checking out.

Are you excited for Tintin?

New Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol Trailer

Damon Houx — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:49:17 +0000

The final Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol trailer has debuted, and the word is Bond. James Bond. That seems to be what stars Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner, and director Brad Bird are going for in this action packed-looking film. That’s always been the word, in some ways, as it deals with special agents and spy toys, but all the previous films have been saddled with mole hunts. Here- at least from the trailer – it seems to be all about the action. Check it out

Of course mole hunting isn’t exactly off the table, either, but this trailer sell a scale that seems bigger than the last couple. Brian De Palma started the franchise off with a more Hitchcockian tone (as he would), and managed to use the mole hunting to easily work in one of the main themes of his work (betrayal). John Woo was saddled with a script that stole a lot from actual Hitchcock (there was a lot of Notorious in there), while J. J. Abrams used M:I:III to learn how to work on the big screen.

The supporting cast here looks exciting, with Simon Pegg capable comic support, and the digital effects work looks kept to a minimum. As always the question is if people still like Tom Cruise. But this trailer should sell some tickets to the skeptical.

Which is your favorite of the Mission Impossible films?

Tom Cruise Shares Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Poster

Damon Houx — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:09:38 +0000

The pattern to this point with Mission: Impossible posters is the giant floating head of Tom Cruise. But that pattern has been dashed as the latest poster for Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol has Cruise sharing his poster with Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, and Simon Pegg. The full size poster for the film follows after the jump, check it out…

One of the set pieces in the film is a chase during a sandstorm/debris so this seems to be paying homage to that part. Paramount recently showed a chunk of the film in Imax to journalists, and the word coming out of those screenings were positive. Perhaps they have winner with this one.

There are two questions that linger: Are American audiences back in “like” with Tom Cruise, and does this one have the exact same plot as the last three movies? Since the trailers suggest there is a mole in the operations, I wouldn’t be surprised if the fourth film has Cruise or Renner unmasking a close associate as the traitor. The film was supposedly originally pitched as Cruise’s hand-off of the franchise, but even though Cruise is 49 it’s possible that he will stay on the ship – especially with Jeremy Renner’s full plate. Perhaps they want to keep both in play and it’s Paula Patton who’s the mole. All will be revealed when the film hits theaters December 21.

What role would you want to see Tom Cruise in now?

New DVD Releases: Paul, Your Highness, Jumping the Broom

Andrew Payne — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:25:59 +0000

It’s a bit of a nerd Nirvana on DVD this week as three different sci-fi/fantasy/comic book parodies all arrive at once with the releases of Paul, Your Highness, and Super. So get your condescending laughs ready.

For those not looking for the geek-parody genre in order to fulfill their home entertainment desire, there are even more feature films hitting shelves this week, plus another that suffered the sad fate of having its premiere in stores.

Check it all out below…

Feature Films

Paul

What do you do when your favorites misstep?

If you’re like me, you love you some Nick Frost and Simon Pegg comedies.

Also, if you’re like me, Paul was kind of a chore to sit through. Uneven, too long, and tried to do too many things at once.

So what do you do? Do you completely lose faith? Does the duo’s next film no long hold for you the same appeal it once did? In other words, have we just suffered an Intolerable Cruelty/The Ladykillers-like reaction to these other two cinematic brothers?

It’s troubling, because once you lock into a reliable film constant you begin to plan your movie year around it. Circling your calendar and suffering through horrible runs of Source Codes and Adjustment Bureaus more readily knowing that something that has to be good is coming right up.

But then, it doesn’t, and you’re left betrayed and unable to ever fully trust again. What is a fan to do?

I know! You blame the fact that Edgar Wright didn’t direct this one and you move on. Hope you chaps will reunite soon!

But if you need something to tide you over, you can buy Paul on DVD.

Your Highness

It seemed that a lot of the animus toward this movie was chiefly directed at two of its three stars.

James Franco: Crappy Oscar host, does too much, overexposed.

Natalie Portman: Too many movies, No Strings Attached – really?, I like Mila Kunis better.

Yes, this film was sort of a catalyst for sealed anger to explode on these two actors, but one got by unscathed – Danny McBride.

And I’m fascinated by that. Can Danny McBride do know wrong? Does having about three moves as an actor (which he does transcendently well, mind you) right all wrongs. Does it make becoming a K-Swiss spokesman and the co-star of Land of the Lost not even matter?

I’m totally confused. I need help:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

If you answered “yes”, you’ll want to buy Your Highness on DVD.

Also:

Jumping the Broom – Buy Now
Mars Needs Moms – Buy Now
Super – Buy Now

And Just So You Know, This DVD Exists…

Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol Teases a Trailer

Damon Houx — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:12:57 +0000

What difference four years and a new director makes. Tom Cruise returns to his franchise role of Ethan Hunt in the new Mission: Impossible film Ghost Protocol, but the real star of the trailer is director Brad Bird. Known for his work on Pixar films like The Incredibles and Ratatoulie, Ghost Protocol is his first live action film, and he’s got it. Joining Cruise are faces like ---">Jeremy Renner and Tom Wilkinson, while returning is – at least – Simon Pegg. Check out the trailer….

When Jeremy Renner joined the franchise, there was talk he was there to replace Cruise – who will be 49 on July 3 – partly because Cruise’s star was on the wane after the two years of nonsense that came from marrying Katie Holmes, and talking at greater length about his religious beliefs. But though the third film was considered disappointing domestically, globally the film made money. This trailer suggests there may be another mole in the operations – which has been a running plot in these movies – but little is actually known of the plot.

What is known is the action in this trailer, and it looks impressive. As with the still above, there is a scope and coolness to this trailer that seemed missing from the last film. The franchise itself has been hit and miss. The first film is more enjoyable for director Brian De Palma doing a more mainstream take on his interests as a filmmaker, the second tamed John Woo, and the third film launched (awkwardly at that) J.J. Abrams as a film director. But Brad Bird seems the absolute right choice for this material, and there’s a number of great money shots here. And the best way to revive stardom is to make a good movie.

Does this excite you?

Paul: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:20:52 +0000

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite on the big screen this weekend for their new comedy Paul. Like they’re previous works, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, which poked fun at the horror and action genre, Paul places the focus on science fiction. It’s a comedic take on what would happen if you mixed the movie Alien with Fanboys. Check out our review…

The Players:

Director: Greg Mottola
Screenwriters: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, Sigourney Weaver, Jeffrey Tambor, Jane Lynch, Blythe Danner, John Carroll Lynch
Cinematography By: Lawrence Sher
Original Music By: David Arnold

The Plot:

Clive and Graeme are two sci-fi enthusiasts who travel from the U.K. to the U.S. to attend San Diego Comic-Con. After the convention wraps they take a road trip across the Southwest, where they visit several famous UFO landmarks including Area 51. During one of their stops they meet Paul, an alien who’s on the run from the government. He enlists the help of Clive and Graeme, who dodge FBI agents, red necks, and Bible thumpers to get him where he needs to be.

The Good:

Simon Pegg/Nick Frost: The chemistry between these two is undeniable. They’re naturally funny apart, so when they’re together comedy ensues. If you’re a fan of their previous collaborations, you won’t be disappointed with their performances in Paul.
Paul: Paul is a pleasant surprise. At first glance, he comes across as a rude, slimy, untrustworthy creature but he’s actually a heartwarming character that you learn to love as the movie progresses.
The Big Guy: Sigourney Weaver plays the main villain, who’s affectionately called The Big Guy. Her casting in this role is pure genius considering her longstanding battle with aliens for the majority of her career. There’s only a choice few actresses who can pull off masculine characters believably and she’s one of them!

The Bad:

Throwaway Characters: There are more than a few oddballs who interfere with Paul, Clive, and Graeme’s journey including a couple of agents in training, some hillbillies, and a religious zealot. All of them are one dimensional characters who serve no purpose to the story. They could have scrapped them and given more screen time to those who mattered.
Agent Zoil: I love Jason Bateman, therefore it hurts me to say this: Agent Zoil dropped the ball. The majority of the film, Zoil is the straight man against all the other goofball characters, a role that Bateman is used to pulling off (Arrested Development anyone?) but his character wasn’t fun, witty, or interesting. Anyone could have played Zoil. It didn’t have to be Bateman. His talent was wasted here.

Overall:

Paul is a road trip movie that pokes fun at the sci-fi genre and the fan boy culture. It’s campy and comedic fun.

Rating: 7.5/10

Paul opens in theaters everywhere on March 11th.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Will you be seeing Paul this weekend?

Interview: Simon Pegg Talks Paul, Spaced, and Cougar Town

Krystal Clark — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:30:48 +0000

This weekend, frequent collaborators Simon Pegg and Nick Frost will once again grace the big screen together. The duo have previously appeared in the hits Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and now they’re taking the sci-fi genre by storm with Paul. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Pegg about his latest feature and we discussed everything under the sun: aliens, Comic-Con, “Spaced,” and even “Cougar Town!” It was an interesting and fun conversation to say the least!

Check out the interview below…

Before we get into anything Paul related, I have to ask you one thing: did you see the “Cougar Town” homage to “Spaced?”

Simon Pegg: Yes, I did. I thought it was very funny.

Did you like the fact that they directly said ‘I love Spaced’ at the end of it?

SP: I thought it was sweet because by saying that they were acknowledging the fact that they were basically doing what we’ve already done [laughs]. It’s a smart way of making a reference and at the same time being able to do the same thing again, which I’ve based my entire career on. I’m fine with that. I thought it was lovely because the vast majority of people watching that show would never have seen “Spaced” and they’re like. ‘What did he say? I love space? What does that mean?’ It was a lovely nod. It’s amazing for us. We made a little comedy for no money back in the late-nineties in Britain that we never thought would get seen outside of the U.K. Then for it to be paid homage to in a huge American TV show it’s a real privilege. I consider it somewhat of an honor.

For those of you who haven’t seen the Cougar Town “Spaced” homage, here it is:

Now that that’s out of the way, what made you and Nick want to make a sci-fi film? Do you guys have a thing for campy, genre projects?

SP: We don’t ever approach it like we’re checking genre boxes. We like to make the kind of films that we like to see. We made Shaun of the Dead because we wanted to make a zombie film not because we wanted to say anything about horror. I mean, Hot Fuzz perhaps was more of a parody than anything we’ve done because it sent up the notion of the action film by putting it in a different context. Paul is a sci-fi film, it isn’t a comment on sci-fi.

Why did you guys name the alien Paul and where did this story come from?

SP: When we were making Shaun of the Dead, it was raining a lot and we thought ‘Oh, why can’t we make a film somewhere where it’s always hot?’ And then we thought over by the desert, and then the desert became Area 51, and that became aliens and we thought how are we going to put ourselves into that? So we’d have to be a couple of British tourists who’d captured an alien and the alien’s name was Paul. The joke was that he had this ordinary name. We never changed it. The idea became that he crash landed on a dog who’s name was Paul. If we properly thought about it longer, we probably would have gone with Rex or Fido. I mean, Paul just stuck.

How did you go about casting the voice of the character?

SP: That was a gradual process because initially we wanted an older actor to play the part because we wanted Paul to sound very worldly-wise, and sort of gravelly. Like an old guy really. His species only lived to about 300 earth years and he was probably about 100, and he’d been on earth for 60 of those years. We figured we should get somebody like Rip Torn or Kurt Russell, you know someone who’s been around the block.

Why was Seth Rogen chosen?

SP: We were slightly worried about that because it would go against what we had intended for the character and then Seth’s name came up. And Nick and I were both like, ‘Wait a minute. That’s perfect!’ He’s a known figure for his comedy work but he also has this wonderfully gravelly voice. We knew Seth through mutual admiration. He liked our stuff, we liked his stuff, and he was the only actor who really fit the bill for us and thank God he said yes.

How did The Big Guy become a woman?

SP: Initially when we wrote the character it was a man, and for the longest time during the writing process it was this gruff male voice. And then one day in our office we sort of said, ‘What if his voice was a woman?’ Immediately we thought, ‘Oh my God, what if it was Sigourney Weaver?’ Because she does have a thematic relevance to the genre. It’s like there’s another joke there. Her very presence in another alien movie is funny because of her connection to that particular series of movies.

We never thought she’d do it. I thought she’d be like, ‘No, no more aliens, please!’ But we sent her the script and she loved it. We never thought for a second that she’d even entertain the idea. And then she came on set and we understood because she’s such a team player and she gets the jokes. She’s a fantastic person. We were just in awe of her. It was like the queen was coming on set and we were all bowing and curtsying.

The two main characters, Clive and Graeme are sci-fi/fantasy fanatics. Would it have been funnier if they were non-believers?

SP: We thought the funniest people to meet an alien would be people that really love aliens, because they’d have to live up to the expectations and their dreams. The joke is that for Clive it doesn’t really.

Are the characters based on any of the fanboys you’ve encountered?

SP: Yes, definitely. We’ve met so many people like that. We’re kind of those people in some respects. There’s a wonderful culture of enthusiasts who are essentially shy people with big loves for things. People who find their heart and soul in fantasy perhaps because they don’t live it on a day to day bases. A lot of the people that enjoy our stuff have been a part of this sort of geek tribe because we’ve done science fiction, horror, and what have you. Those genres tend to attract those kinds of people.

Last year I met J.J. Abrams at Comic-Con and my mind went blank…

SP: I was the same way with Carrie Fisher. I lined up to meet her at Comic Con. You get to spend seconds with them and that’s the time you’re given to imprint yourself upon these people that you love. It’s hard because you’re immediately on the backfoot. You know they’re not going to remember you in five minutes let alone a year. You just have to kind of understand that and go with it.

Paul opens in theaters everywhere on March 18th.

Simon Pegg Says Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol ‘Is Going to be Awesome’

Krystal Clark — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:03:45 +0000

In the past decade, Simon Pegg has appeared in some of the most popular cult films and television shows around. He starred in the UK series “Spaced,” which featured frequent collaborator Nick Frost, as well as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, which were co-written and directed by Edgar Wright. Lately he’s had the opportunity to broaden his horizons with huge tentpoles like Star Trek and Mission Impossible. The latter is set to hit theaters on December 16th, and will feature Pegg reprising his character Benji Dunn from Mission Impossible 3. The follow up is called Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol and we recently had the opportunity to speak to the actor about it. Check out what Pegg had to say…

When franchises go beyond the trilogy point, there’s usually a dip in quality. It happened with Indiana Jones, Terminator, and Die Hard, so it’s only natural that fans are uneasy about Mission Impossible taking that leap. But Pegg thinks that Ghost Protocol will avoid the slump because of its creative team led by director Brad Bird.

Simon Pegg: I think you’re right, when a film goes into number four you’re like, ‘Isn’t this just like flogging a dead horse now?’ But what they’ve done is they’ve brought in a director who’s never done live action before but who’s had a 100 percent hit rate for his previous movies: Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and The Iron Giant are all just five star films. Brad has just brought that sensibility to this film. And the fact that’s it’s Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, it’s not Mission Impossible 4.

Pegg also spoke about seeing the movie as more of a reboot than a sequel.

SP: It’s a rebirth for the series. In the same way with what they’ve done with Spider-Man. I feel like it’s a reinvigoration of this particular story. It was a series when it was on TV, so it’s a story that can have so many iterations. There are so many adventures to get into with this team of impossible mission fighters.

Aside from Pegg, Cruise himself is one of the few returning actors to reprise their role in the series. The new cast includes two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, and “Lost” alum Josh Holloway.

SP: Yes, Jeremy and Paula, and Tom goes without saying. I can honestly say that Jeremy and Paula are fantastic in this movie and it’s been a hoot working with them. They’re both such fun and both amazing. But I think the real key to this picture is Brad Bird who they brought in to direct.

With an unconventional title, a new director, and a fresh cast, Pegg has a very good feeling about what they’re doing with Ghost Protocol.

SP: I wanted to read the script and I read it and just thought, ‘This is going to be awesome!’ On top of that, you have a guy who is such a clever director. Who’d of thought that the guy who was the showrunner on “The Simpsons” would be the guy directing a Mission Impossible movie? It sounds crazy but believe me it’s really gonna work. I’m so stoked for this film.

You heard it here first folks, he’s stoked! Are you?

Are you interested in seeing Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol? Do you think it will be a worthy follow up to Abrams’ film?

International Trailer for Paul with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost

Krystal Clark — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:41:32 +0000

Yesterday we posted the first teaser poster for Greg Mottola’s upcoming comedy Paul. Today we’ve got our hands on the international trailer for the film that centers on aliens, government conspiracies, and Comic-Con. Because when stuff hits the fan Comic-Con is usually at the center of it all. Check out the new trailer…

This trailer features more of Jason Bateman’s character, which we’re all for. He plays a tough as nails FBI Agent named Lorenzo Zoil. Get it? Lorenzo Zoil? Think about it for a minute. We’ll wait.

Official Synopsis:

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) reunite for the comedy adventure Paul as two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage takes them to America’s UFO heartland. While there, they accidentally meet an alien who brings them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever.

For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smart ass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town—a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Collings (Frost).

Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman that they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. And as two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.

Paul is scheduled to hit domestic theaters on March 18.

What do you think of the U.K trailer for Paul?

ScreenCrave.com » Simon Pegg

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