Screen Rant » Rob Frappier

Derek Haas Talks New NBC Firefighter Drama ‘Chicago Fire’

Rob Frappier — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:21:59 +0000

NBC recently announced its new fall lineup and one of the shows to receive a full series order was the firefighter drama Chicago Fire. The show, which comes from the creative minds of Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (3:10 to Yuma, Wanted), follows the men and women of one Chicago firehouse as they risk their own lives to save others.

Chicago Fire features a large ensemble cast led by Jesse Spencer (House) and Taylor Kinney (The Vampire Diaries), and the team behind the project is equally impressive. In addition to Haas and Brandt, NBC mainstay Dick Wolf (Law and Order) will serve as Executive Producer on the show through his Wolf Films production company.

To learn more about Chicago Fire, Screen Rant reached out to Derek Haas ...

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First Trailer for Jon Favreau & J.J. Abrams’ Sci-Fi Show ‘Revolution’

Rob Frappier — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:07:58 +0000

With more than a billion dollars in box office success between them, Jon Favreau and J.J. Abrams are undoubtedly two of the biggest directors in Hollywood today. Now the pair are working together on bringing their unique talents to the small screen for Revolution, an interesting new sci-fi show on NBC.

The show, which also features Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and Bryan Burk (Lost) as Executive Producers, offers an intriguing premise. For an unexplained reason, all technology in the world stops. No TVs, no computers, no cars. Nothing. 15 years later (which is when the series takes place), society has fallen apart and is now run by warring groups and militias. As the first trailer for the show reveals, however, there may be hope in the form of a special flash drive held by the Matheson family.

With its mix of ...

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5 Reasons Why I’m More Excited for ‘Avengers’ Than ‘Dark Knight Rises’

Rob Frappier — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:15:45 +0000

I recently came to a shocking conclusion – I am much more excited to see The Avengers than I am to see The Dark Knight Rises. Okay, so that might not seem shocking to you, but it was definitely a shock to me.

For my entire life, I’ve been a huge Batman fan. From the comic books to the animated series and through all of the movies, the Caped Crusader has always been my favorite superhero and, as of a few months ago, I don’t think anyone could have convinced me that Christopher Nolan’s epic conclusion to his Batman trilogy would be anything short of brilliant. That’s all changed now, though.

Marvel’s insidious strategy to connect all of its movies into one super-sized superhero explosion has worked its charms ...

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Steven Yeun and Lauren Cohan Talk ‘Walking Dead’ Season 3

Rob Frappier — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:46:37 +0000

[Warning! This Post Contains Walking Dead Season 2 SPOILERS!]

Steven Yeun and Lauren Cohan – who play lovestruck couple Glenn and Maggie in AMC’s The Walking Dead - were in Chicago this past weekend for the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (C2E2).

During a panel about the show, Yeun and Cohan answered questions about the reality of romance during a zombie armageddon, how they felt at the end of shooting, and what Season 3 will be like for the survivors, now that Rick has taken a somewhat darker character turn.

Yeun and Cohan were greeted enthusiastically by the crowd at the event, prompting both to talk about how the show’s success has changed their lives; when they walk down the street now, they’re recognized as Glenn and Maggie. For Yeun, it even meant meeting a ...

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Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito & Eddie Murphy May Be ‘Triplets’

Rob Frappier — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 06:11:53 +0000

In a perplexing bit of news (that is simultaneously so obvious it makes you want to punch yourself in the head), Universal is allegedly trying to pull together a sequel to the 1988 Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito comedy Twins with an important twist. The new film will feature Eddie Murphy as a third long-lost brother.

You heard that right folks. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, and Eddie Murphy could be Triplets if Universal can pull together a script and get a director onboard.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film ”would see Schwarzenegger and DeVito as brothers Julius and Vincent, conceived experimentally, who discover they have third sibling.” Presumably, the trio will get into all kinds of wacky hijinks related to their respective genetic differences before learning the important lesson that brothers stick up for ...

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‘Brake’ Director Talks Making ‘Die Hard’ in the Trunk of a Car’

Rob Frappier — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:09:36 +0000

Earlier this month, we shared the trailer for Brake, a new thriller starring Stephen Dorff as a secret service agent trapped in the trunk of a car.

Similar to the 2010 film Buried, which starred Ryan Reynolds as a man buried alive in the desert, Brake takes place entirely in one location. Unlike Buried, however, Dorff’s character in Brake isn’t just fighting for his survival. He’s also fighting to keep his sanity as he is tortured by an anonymous tormentor obsessed with learning the location of Roulette: the place where the President is taken during an attack on Washington D.C.

It’s a pretty interesting idea for a movie, and definitely a different take on the genre, so Screen Rant reached out to director Gabe Torres to learn more about the film.

In our interview, we talk to Torres about ...

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’50/50′ Director in Talks to Direct McG’s ‘Dead Spy Running’ Adaptation

Rob Frappier — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:33:47 +0000

Director Jonathan Levine has made his mark in Hollywood with indie dramedies like 50-50 and The Wackness, but the director’s next step may be considerably more mainstream. Like, McG mainstream.

According to a new report, Levine is in active negotiations to direct Dead Spy Running, a spy movie based on the book of the same name by John Stock. The film, which was originally going to be directed by McG (Terminator: Salvation), follows the story of a freshly-trained spy. It’s been described as “John Le Carre meets Jason Bourne,” which is about as good as you can get in the spy genre.

This news, first reported by Twitch, is the first piece of information to come out about Dead Spy Running for some time. While McG is still producing the film, the ...

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‘Tales From Development Hell’ Author David Hughes Talks Movies That Almost Were

Rob Frappier — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:47:54 +0000

Very few people realize just how hard it is to get a movie made. Some movies will start fast, only to fizzle out just before production because of a disgruntled star. Others will be stuck in pre-production for decades, getting passed from one executive to another in an endless game of hot potato. In Hollywood, it’s called getting stuck in “Development Hell.” It’s a place that film journalist and screenwriter David Hughes knows all too well.

The cover of David Hughes’ book Tales From Development Hell teases the reader with a number of tantalizing “What Ifs?”: What if Frank Miller and Darren Aronofsky‘s ‘Batman: Year One’movie hadn’t been derailed? What if John Boorman brought his medieval sensibilities to ‘Lord of the Rings’ years before he directed ‘Excalibur’? The stories in the book are equal parts fascinating and frustrating.

Recently, ...

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Benderspink Options ‘The New West’ Graphic Novel

Rob Frappier — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:31:50 +0000

Jimmy Palmiotti’s 2005 graphic novel The New West seems like it was always meant to be a movie. Set in a near future where an electromagnetic bomb has destroyed all technology in Los Angeles, the story hits on all the checkpoints of a typical sci-fi flick.

Post-apocalyptic wasteland? Check. Edgy anti-hero? Check. Old genre conventions with a modern twist? Check. The list goes on and on.

Now it looks like a New West movie may actually happen, with Variety reporting that the management-production company Benderspink has optioned the series for a film adaptation.

Benderspink will apparently produce the film alongside Gareb Shamus, former CEO and President of Wizard Entertainment (whose subsidiary Black Bull Comics produced the series).

Here are some more details on the film:

“Story centers on a bomb creating an electromagnetic pulse that causes all technology to stop working in ...

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Interview: Why Are Found Footage Movies So Popular?

Rob Frappier — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:21:40 +0000

In case you haven’t noticed, the found footage genre is hot right now. Whether it’s on the big screen (where the found footage superhero flick Chronicle was recently number one at the box office) or on TV (where ABC and NBC had a bidding war for the new drama The River), it seems like everyone wants to jump on the shaky cam bandwagon.

But why? Is it because found footage is cheaper to produce and has the potential to make tons of money (a la Paranormal Activity)? Or are found footage movies simply a better fit for a new generation of adults that is always plugged-in, always online, and always sharing their lives over social media?

To get to the bottom of the found footage boom, Screen ...

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Do New Toys Reveal ‘The Avengers’ Villains?

Rob Frappier — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:45:43 +0000

What’s the one thing that we can always count on when a new superhero movies comes out? New toys. Yes, as the wise old Yogurt says in Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs, it’s all about merchandising.

Luckily for fans, the result of this merchandising extravaganza is that secrets from the movie occasionally slip out before the release date. Recently, some images of new toys based on The Avengers hit the web, revealing a familiar-looking alien villain.

A few weeks ago, Marvel Studios’ President of Production Kevin Feige definitively stated that the Skrulls would not be the villains in the film and that they wouldn’t be setting up a Kree-Skrull war. But at the recent Jakks Pacific Toy Fair, MTV Geek! found something called the “The Avengers Mighty Battle Skill and Strategy Game,” which featured figurines that look uncannily like the Skrulls.

So what’s the deal? Is Feige yanking our chain? When you see ...

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‘Insidious’ Sequel On The Way

Rob Frappier — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:54:37 +0000

You may or not have thought that Insidious was the scariest movie of last year (I certainly did), but after earning nearly $100 million on a measly $1.5 million budget, there’s no denying that it was one of the most profitable.

Second only to the ridiculously successful Paranormal Activity 3 (which earned over $200 million worldwide), director James Wan’s throwback horror film was a big hit with audiences and immediately spurred conversation about a possible sequel.

Last summer, Insidious producer Jason Blum briefly talked about a sequel, but said that the creative team (Wan and writer Leigh Whannell) would only be interested if they could come with a story worth telling. Now it looks like the pair may indeed be back for Insidious 2.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wan and Whannell (who also co-created the Saw ...

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Ron Livingston & Lili Taylor are a Haunted Couple in ‘The Conjuring’

Rob Frappier — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:18:14 +0000

Director James Wan (Saw, Insidious) recently booked Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga to star in his new horror film The Conjuring (which is in the process of getting a new name). In the movie – which is allegedly based on true events – the pair will play a pair of paranormal investigators who investigate a haunted house.

But what fun would a haunted house movie be if there wasn’t someone in the house being haunted? Well, The Conjuring has that too.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, veteran character actors Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor are joining The Conjuring as the couple who move into the haunted farm house with their children. The pair are based on the Perron family, who claim to have experienced a terrifying haunting during the 1970s.

With the ...

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Universal May Move on ‘Bridesmaids 2′ Without Kristen Wiig

Rob Frappier — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:18:09 +0000

After bringing in nearly $300 million worldwide at the box office, a sequel to the raunchy comedy Bridesmaids was a given. Despite the first film’s critical and financial success however, Universal hasn’t been able to move as quickly on the sequel as the studio would like.

The main reason for the slow progress is Kristen Wiig, who apparently isn’t interested in returning for a sequel, despite a potentially lucrative payday attached to the film. Considering that Wiig, along with co-writer Annie Mumolo, was the chief creative force behind the original film, that could be a huge problem… but not necessarily.

According to a new report in The Hollywood Reporter, Universal is actively negotiating with Wiig to come back for a sequel, but is also considering ways to move forward on Bridesmaids ...

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New Line Reaches Deal With ‘Horrible Bosses’ Writing Team For Sequel

Rob Frappier — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:46:34 +0000

Horrible Bosses didn’t quite reach the same level of success as The Hangover, but the hard-R comedy definitely exceeded expectations at the box office. Now, it looks like the movie’s hapless trio of would-be murderers (played by Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, and Jason Bateman) will return for another round of dark comic fun in a sequel to the film.

Although Horrible Bosses was only moderately successful with critics, the movie was a big moneymaker for New Line, grossing more than $200 million worldwide on a budget of only $35 million. In typical Hollywood fashion, after seeing the box office returns, the studio immediately contacted the Horrible Bosses creative team to discuss a possible sequel.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, New Line has reached a deal with writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein to ...

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Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson Talk ‘The Adventures of TinTin’

Rob Frappier — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:02:22 +0000

The Adventures of TinTin finally hits theaters this week, and if early reviews are any indication, director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson have a hit on their hands (which should be no surprise considering their respective track records).

Tintin follows the exploits of Belgian comic hero TinTin, his dog Snowy, and the irascible Captain Haddock as they face down danger in the hunt for a sunken treasure. The movie, which is 30 years in the making, was filmed entirely with motion-capture technology and looks to combine both Spielberg and Jackson’s talents into a fun, Indiana Jones-style adventure.

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter had the fantastic opportunity to sit down and talk with both Spielberg and Jackson about The Adventures of TinTin. During their nearly 30 minute chat, the filmmakers discussed everything from their love of the original TinTin comics, their ...

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Universal Co-Finances Keanu Reeves’ Directorial Debut ‘Man of Tai Chi’

Rob Frappier — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:09:56 +0000

Keanu Reeves has been hard at work on the the famous Japanese story 47 Ronin for quite some time, but for his first directorial feature, the actor will be shifting gears to China.

As we wrote earlier this year, Reeves has been working to get his debut film Man of Tai Chi off the ground for a while now, but said it was “tricky” because it was a Chinese-American co-production. Now, the movie has found its financing and is being fast-tracked to start production in February.

The Hollywood Reporter writes that Universal will co-finance Man of Tai Chi alongside Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, China Film Group and Wanda Media. The martial arts film will take place in contemporary Beijing and will feature Reeves as the villain.

Despite his oft-mocked acting style, I’m actually a ...

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Matt Damon on Stepping Away From ‘Bourne’ Franchise

Rob Frappier — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:13:23 +0000

Matt Damon won’t be beating up any bad guys in the new family-friendly dramedy We Bought a Zoo, but it’s hard to forget Damon’s action hero chops. As the face of the Bourne franchise, Damon helped the popular action trilogy bring in nearly one billion dollars at the box office worldwide.

So why, with all of the franchise’s success, did Damon decide to step away from Bourne Legacy, the fourth entry in the series and how did Universal come to the decision to bring in a new character, played by Jeremy Renner?

As we reported last year, the new film will not be a reboot or direct sequel, but rather a new adventure featuring a different spy set within the established Bourne universe. Damon elaborated on the decision ...

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Neil Marshall Will Direct New Horror Film ‘Hellfest’

Rob Frappier — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:37:59 +0000

Neil Marshall is one busy guy. Earlier this year, the fan favorite genre director said he was juggling 12 different projects (including a WWII alien invasion movie and the stomach-churning Burst 3D). Now it looks like he’s got yet another film on his schedule.

With movies like The Descent and Centurion, Marshall has shown a gruesome affinity for blood and guts action, but, so far, the director hasn’t flexed his talents in the ever popular slasher genre.

That’s going to change with his new movie Hellfest.

According to Deadline, Marshall has agreed to direct the project for CBS Films with the hope of launching a new horror franchise. The plan is to start production on the movie, which revolves around a “costumed killer who systematically slaughters the unsuspecting ...

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Bradley Cooper Talks ‘Paradise Lost’ & Why He Left ‘The Crow’ Remake

Rob Frappier — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:04:30 +0000

Bradley Cooper made headlines recently when he was named People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man of the Year,” but the actor is more than just a pretty face. With a strong screen presence and a media-friendly personality, Cooper has become one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood, following his rise to stardom in The Hangover.

Over the last two years, Cooper has been attached to some of the biggest movies in Hollywood (from the inevitable Hangover 3 to unconfirmed rumors of a Flash movie). While promoting The Hangover 2 DVD release, Cooper talked about one of his upcoming projects, Alex Proyas’ Paradise Lost, and also why he decided to step back from The Crow remake.

In a conversation with Empire, Cooper discussed his role as Lucifer ...

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