ScreenCrave.com » Zack Snyder

Henry Cavil is The Man of Steel

Damon Houx — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:34:35 +0000

Warner Brothers has been gracious to give us our first look at the new Superman, and it’s Henry Cavill in front of a vault. Is this for the film, will something like this be in the movie? We’re still two years out from Zack Snyder‘s Man of Steel (it opens June 14, 2013), but the casting seems almost done, and now we get a clear look at the suit and how Cavil looks in it.

I have no qualms with the new suit, though I’m sure fans will pick their nits with it. Such is the internet. What’s most exciting about the film is the cast so far, from yesterday’s announcement of Laurence Fishburne, to previously announced members Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, and Michael Shannon. They’ve loaded this thing with talent, and hopefully Snyder can deliver on the fun and patriotism that comes from the character.

It will be interesting to see where they take the narrative, because they tried the darker, more brooding approach last time, and it didn’t work, but that may be different than aping Christopher Nolan‘s Batman model. Here’s the full picture, and the press release. From this, it appears shooting will start any day now.

BURBANK, CA, August 4, 2011 – Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have provided the first look at the new “Man of Steel,” revealing star Henry Cavill as Superman in the film from director Zack Snyder.

The film also stars three-time Oscar® nominee Amy Adams (“The Fighter”) as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Oscar® nominee Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”) as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent’s adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Oscar® nominee Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”) and Academy Award® winner Kevin Costner (“Dances with Wolves”).Squaring off against the superhero are two other surviving Kryptonians, the villainous General Zod, played by Oscar® nominee Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road”), and Faora, Zod’s evil partner, played by Antje Traue. Also from Superman’s native Krypton are Lara Lor-Van, Superman’s mother, played by Julia Ormond, and Superman’s father, Jor-El, portrayed by Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”).

Rounding out the cast are Harry Lennix as U.S. military man General Swanwick, as well as Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy.“Man of Steel” is being produced by Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer, from a story by Goyer and Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.

Superman: he might be able to fly all through the night, but can he rock a party to the early light?

Laurence Fishburne is Perry White in The Man of Steel

Damon Houx — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:43:40 +0000

Fans were excited with the thought of some sneak preview footage of Zack Snyder‘s new Superman film Man of Steel at comic-con, but as evinced with the latest casting news, the film isn’t ready to go yet. Such may be why the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2013. But the news is that Laurence Fishburne has been added as Perry White to the still growing cast.

Fishburne is great casting, though some comic book fans blanch at race changes in movies. Whether that’s racism or just an inability to adapt to change is hard to say. Regardless, Fishburne has a steely gravitas that comes with his voice, and being a veteran of the industry for over thirty years. This means that he can do a lot with a little, which is exactly what the role calls for.

Fishburne got his break in Francis Ford Coppola‘s Apocalypse Now, a film he started when he was 14, and named Larry. He worked, but it was John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood and a surprise Oscar Nomination for What’s Love Got to Do With It that showed he was not only talented but respected by his peers. Then came The Matrix.

Of late Fishburne has kept busy with CSI on the small screen, and supporting work in movies like Predators. This is along those lines, but with Fishburne you get a sense of authority and often a little mix of kindness. It’s smart casting, and they’ve done nothing but cast up with this project. Here’s hoping it’s good.

Does Fishburne’s casting bother you?

And the Father of the Man of Steel is… Russell Crowe?

Damon Houx — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:54:29 +0000

One-time Robin Hood Russell Crowe is negotiations to join one-time Robin Hood Kevin Costner in Zack Snyder‘s Man of Steel as Superman’s father Jor-El. That’s what Variety is reporting, and that it went public means there’s probably a good chance it will happen. Russell Crowe is a late addition to the cast after the flurry of announcements a couple months back, but the film has yet to begin shooting. Crowe would then be filling the shoes left by Marlon Brando in the first Superman movie.

Crowe could – at one point – be called a movie star, but in the mid 90′s through until the start of this century, he was also a world class actor, but the last couple years have found him at a loss, even when paired with director Ridley Scott, as their Robin Hood was a miserable adaptation. There Crowe was trying for a youthful sort of role, this role suggests his transition into elder statesman.

The only thing that would make this movie more Hood-centric would be the casting of Sean Connery, Cary Elwes, or Patrick Bergen. The film starts shooting later this summer, so the rest of the cast, or any other surprises should be hitting momentarily. After this summer, it feels like the Superhero movie is running out of steam, so it will be interesting to see what reboots do to the genre.

Are you ready for the Man of Steel?

Christian Bale And Sean Penn To Join Forces In Most Intense Film Ever?

traviswoods — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:03:51 +0000

OK, so imagine this film: two Americans—one is a journalist, and the other is retired soldier—who join forces to rescue a kidnapping victim in Afghanistan. And Zack Snyder came up with it. And 300 screenwriter Kurt Johnstad wrote it. And the Christian Bale would play the reporter “who witnesses and is the only survivor of an attack on a group of Americans.” And Sean Penn now may play a retired Special Ops soldier who “comes to the scene determined to free a family member who has been kidnapped.” Translation: the most intense film ever made.

/Film has it that the film, The Last Photograph, kicks off when “the journalist agrees to help identify the kidnappers and travel the rough terrain to find them, in exchange for the story. The road brings them in confrontation with tribal regions of Afghanistan, and none of the diplomats will help.”

Oh, and if that isn’t intense enough, the director of the original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Niels Arden Oplev, is set to direct. Expect whole audiences’ heads to explode, Scanners-style, around the half-hour mark of The Last Photograph, when the fifteenth screaming match in the film between Christian Bale and Sean Penn proves simply to be to insanely intense for human eyes to handle.

What do you think of The Last Photograph?

Diane Lane Leaks ‘Superman: The Man Of Steel’ Script Details

traviswoods — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:28:03 +0000

Despite the fact that Warner Bros. has been extremely tight-lipped about the upcoming Superman: The Man of Steel project in terms of script details (Michael Shannon, who is set to play Supes villain General Zod, confirmed in an interview that he wasn’t even allowed to read the script, and that director Zack Snyder could only “describe” the film to him), that isn’t stopping Diane Lane, who will play Superman’s adoptive human mother, Martha Kent, from letting a few details about the upcoming film slip.

According to /Film, Lane didn’t let much slip out, but she did reveal that the film will be, unlike 2006’s Superman Returns, a literal reboot in that it will be an origin story about our man in the blue tights:

“I read the script under lock and key… I was locked in a room with the script and was only allowed three hours with it. I nailed it into my memory. I’m really excited. I’m really not allowed to talk much about it, I think, but it does cover the entire range of years, from infancy on.”

Not a lot, I know, but enough to keep the fanboys buzzing until grainy and unsanctioned cell phone pics are leaked from the set so that we can all bitch about Superman’s new costume or Lex Luthor’s hairpiece or whatever. I mean, we can’t just wait for the movie to come out, you guys!

What do you think of the Superman news?

Michael Shannon Discusses Playing General Zod in ‘Superman: The Man Of Steel’

traviswoods — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:15:56 +0000

So the big news so far this week is that Michael Shannon has been cast as General Zod in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot, The Man of Steel. And now, RiverRun International Film Festival has released a video interview with the actor who reveals his thoughts on Zod, the Christopher Reeve superman films, Snyder’s reboot storyline, and more. Also, he’s kind of odd.

On his casting as Zod, according to ComingSoon, Shannon had this to say:

“It’s ridiculous! It just came out of nowhere. I’m talking to my agent and she goes, ‘How about Superman?’ ‘What?’ The idea that I would ever be in ‘Superman’. ‘Are you serious?’”

Further, Shannon admits that he is not allowed to read the script, but that Snyder gave him a 30 minute breakdown “of every scene” in the film, and that the studio has already screen-tested him with the new Superman, Henry Cavill. He also professes himself to be a fan of the Reeve films, and Terrence Stamp as the original Zod in particular.

So there you go—there’s your General Zod, ladies and gentlemen. He seems a tad eccentric, and his beige vest isn’t exactly inspiring the terror that one expects of Zod, but let’s give the guy a chance. He looks like he could be a madman on screen.

What do you think of Michael Shannon’s interview?

Michael Shannon Cast As General Zod In Zack Snyder’s ‘Superman: The Man of Steel’

traviswoods — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:37:44 +0000

Last month, we reported that Oscar nominee Michael Shannon was in the running to play General Zod (you know, the “KNEEL BEFORE ZOD” guy) in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot, The Man of Steel. And now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Shannon has been confirmed as Superman’s best non-Lex Luthor cinematic nemesis.

Warner Bros. announced the big news on Sunday, while Snyder had this to say about the character, and about wedding Shannon to the role:

“Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”

You might remember Zod as portrayed by Terrence Stamp briefly in 1978’s Superman and as the primary villain in 1980’s Superman II (aka, the badass one where they through buses at each other).

Michael Shannon will be joining the a cast that includes Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent.

The Man of Steel will be directed by Zack Snyder, produced by Christopher Nolan, and written by David Goyer. Translation: as long as Snyder doesn’t make it, you know, all Zack Snyder-y, this is will be amazing.

What do you think of Shannon as Zod?

’300′ Prequel May Move Forward Without Zack Snyder

traviswoods — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:34:32 +0000

For all of those hoping that Zack Snyder’s work on the upcoming Superman reboot would keep him from being able to make Xerxes, the planned sequel to 300: Human Growth Hormones, Homoeroticism, and Capes, it looks like you may be out of luck—Xerxes may be going on with or without him.

According to Superhero Hype, Immortals and Xerxes producer Mark Canton, stated that Xerxes may not be able to wait for Snyder to complete his work on the new Supes flick:

“I can’t say…I mean, he’s got ‘Superman.’ He’s busy. We’re busy. I don’t think we’re going to wait two years. But we’ll work together with him and figure out who the filmmaker should be if he doesn’t direct it.”

“We’re taking a lot of time because [Zack] really did create something that goes in the time capsule… We want to be faithful to the first one, but we don’t want to do a conventional sequel. But we’re getting close.”

Sigh. I guess my hopes that we were all going to dodge this bullet just went up in smoke, huh? Oh, well, if there’s one thing the world needs, it’s a CGI-laden violence extravaganza that hijacks historical characters in order for 18-24 males can zone out for two hours.

What do you think of the Xerxes news?

Lindsay Lohan To Audition For Zack Snyder’s Superman Reboot

traviswoods — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:44:31 +0000

Alright, everyone, prepare to let loose with a collective “ewwwwwwww”: apparently, Lindsay Lohan is gunning for a role in the upcoming Zack Snyder/ Christopher Nolan reboot of Superman, The Man of Steel. And, even more distressing, she’s actually got an audition. Ok, everybody ready? Here goes:

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Whew, I feel better. You?

According to Pop Eater:

“Lindsay is planning to return from New York on Wednesday, at which time she will meet with producers and read for them.”

Rumor has is that she will be up for the villainous role of Snortero, She-Queen of the Yeyo and Destroyer of Septums, who, in a reverse of Superman’s ability to blow tornado-like winds, can literally inhale a small city up one nostril while Tweeting with one hand and throwing objects at Samantha Ronson with the other (it’s a lesser villain, sure, but it worked for Batman Begins).

But seriously—this can’t like, really be happening, can it? I mean, can you imagine the matter/ anti-matter implosion that would take place if Christopher Nolan and Lindsay Lohan occupied the same room? It’d take out everything from here to at least Jupiter.

What would you think about Lohan starring in The Man of Steel?

Amy Adams Cast As Lois Lane In ‘Superman: The Man of Steel’

traviswoods — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:57:29 +0000

Superman and comic book fans, get this: Amy Adams has been cast in the coveted role of Lois Lane in Zack Snyder’s updated of the Superman franchise, The Man of Steel.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Adams will be joining Henry Cavill as Superman, with Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Superman’s adoptive human parents. No word yet on who will play Lex Luthor (assuming he’s even in the film—but he’s just gotta be, right?). I still think Donald Trump could kill that role, but hey, that’s just me.

Snyder, whose Sucker Punch bowed this weekend to less than stellar results, had this to say about the casting via press release:

“Second only to Superman himself, the question of who will play Lois Lane is arguably what fans have been most curious about… So we are excited to announce the casting of Amy Adams, one of the most versatile and respected actresses in films today. Amy has the talent to capture all of the qualities we love about Lois: smart, tough, funny, warm, ambitious and, of course, beautiful.”

Adams will pick the role up from Phyllis Coates, Margot Kidder and Kate Bosworth, all of whom previously played the roles of Lane, the reporter who falls in love with the big guy in blue tights. She previously grabbed filmgoers’ attention with her charming turn in Enchanted and her gritty, excellent role in last year’s The Fighter.

Superman: The Man of Steel is set for release in December 2012. Which means there will be plenty of time for more baseless speculation about what the hell the movie will actually be about. Sweet!

What do you think of Amy Adams as Lois Lane?

Michael Shannon in the Running for Superman Villainy

Damon Houx — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:52:50 +0000

With Sucker Punch due out tomorrow, it’s no surprise that casting rumors and plot details are making heavy rounds for Zack Snyder‘s Superman: Man of Steel. As the film comes together two of the biggest questions are: what famous villain will be taking on Superman, and who will play him? Earlier today we heard word that Edgar Ramirez was in the running, and now it looks like Michael Shannon is as well. At least, so says Deadline Hollywood.

The first time many saw Michael Shannon was as the nervous soon-to-be newlywed in the romantic comedy Groundhog’s Day. He’s been kicking around since then, working bit parts and minor supporting roles like in 8 Mile and Pearl Harbor. A lead role in William Friedkin’s Bug seemed the breakthrough, which led to such showier parts, like in Revolutionary Road where he earned an Oscar nomination. He’s also been one of the main characters of “Boardwalk Empire.”

Shannon’s good. What this amounts to in terms of casting is that he’s someone who can play villainous but multi-dimensional – insane, but also clever. He’s a classic “that guy” whose already attracted a critical following as someone who could be the next Christopher Walken. Just looking at him, he seems the perfect casting for Bizzaro (the anti-Superman character), though perhaps he’d be playing Zod or Brainiac – we keep hearing it’s not Lex Luthor, but Shannon would also look fine bald.

So far Snyder’s version seems well cast, and they’ve been going after interesting actors. We’ll see how this moves forward shortly.

Who do you think should be Superman’s nemesis?

Sucker Punch: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:30:57 +0000

This week director Zack Snyder’s bad-ass, chick-action-flick, Sucker Punch hits theaters with a bang. Snyder described the film as “Alice In Wonderland with machine guns” and there definitely is an aspect of that to the film. This is a dark, imaginative film that journey’s into the mind a young girl who needs to escape — but unlike Alice, Babyboll has a lot bigger threats than just growing up, she has to escape a mental institution before it’s too late. Sadly the film itself doesn’t follow through in terms of story, but it does manage some pretty impressive ideas. Check out our review below…

The Players:

Director: Zack Snyder
Writers: Zack Snyder (story and screenplay) and Steve Shibuya (screenplay)
Actors: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn
Original Music by: Tyler Bates and Marius De Vries
Cinematography by: Larry Fong

The Plot:

A young girl gets caught accidentally commiting some crimes and is institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. In order to escape her fate, she retreats into her imagination and envisions a plan which will help her and her new found companions escape.

The Good:

The Look: From the flawless skin on all the girls, to the costumes, to the sets and the special effects; this film has a very distinctive look and it’s impressive. One has come to expect this from Snyder and he doesn’t disappoint on visual — though some may not like his videogame-esq special effects, there’s plenty to feast your eyes on.
All Out: I always prefer a film that takes risks and this film does. It’s great to see a director take an original idea and follow it through 100%. There’s no doubt that Snyder did that here. There is an attempt at a lot of interesting concepts in this film and there are some beautiful moments that really show you how talented Snyder is. Sadly, the whole film doesn’t hold up and that’s mainly do to the story BUT it’s hard not to appreciate and respect the effort.
The Opening: When the film hit the screen it immediately sent a wave over the audience and I couldn’t help but think “this is going to be awesome!” The start of this film, the idea, the premise, how it sets himself up is beautiful, dark, interesting — this is one of the best starts to a film. Sadly, before we can even finish the first act, things begin to fade.

The Bad:

The Story: Snyder takes a lot of risks in this film and unfortunately they don’t always add up or mean anything. You’re given this great premise and a lot of metaphorical ideas that at first seem really fascinating; but then you realize that they’re not all adding up, that things aren’t really making sense, then slowly the story starts to fall apart and you’re felt with some pretty images, and that’s about all.
The Repetitiveness: The film begins with one awesome trick and then repeats it 5 BIG times. Now this isn’t always a problem, films can repeat themselves if they’re clever about it. Sadly, unlike it’s competitor Source Code, which actually repeats itself eight times, this film doesn’t find the differences that keep you engaged while watching the same thing over and over. You need variation, in the characters, their motivation, and in tone in order to keep the story moving and give us something new to watch. The characters never really changed, only the settings. As a result it kept using the same gag just with a slightly different enemy to fight each time. It felt like five of the same short films playing back to back — mix it up!
Unbelievable Responses: The characters don’t respond like they’re human. Even under the most insane circumstances if there is not something relatable or tangible for us to hold onto, it’s hard to stay invested in the character story. The actors did their best to justify it, but even the greatest actors can’t solve plot holes that big. (Also unbelievable were the eye-lashes — I get the long lashes and excessive make-up in the brothel, but why everywhere else? This is like America’s Next Top Insane Asylum)
Casting Hamm: Though one can not get enough Hamm, he was probably the worst person in the world to cast as an evil villain that girls don’t want to have sex with. SPOILER When it’s revealed that he’s the “High Roller,” the one coming to take the young Babydoll’s virginity, one can’t help but think that women all over the country would line up for that spot. Now maybe if he was more evil or allowed to really play the villain it would work, but we barely see him in the start and in the end, he’s really not all that bad. If all we get is a sexy Jon Hamm, it’s hard to see what problem is, and if there is not problem, there’s no film.

Overall:

I can’t tell anyone not to go to this, because there are some really great aspects to this and it’s hard not to appreciate such a unique and interesting idea. That being said, it was not as enjoyable as it sound be and it definitely is no “Alice in Wonderland” story. The visuals were good, but not Snyder’s best. It’s a fun idea that’s never fully accomplished on screen.

Rating: 5/10

Sucker Punch is in theaters March 25, 2011.

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Sucker Punch: Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 5/10

Trailer:

Photo Gallery:

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