Screen Rant » Rob Frappier

‘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 success ...

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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 2 without ...

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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 write ...

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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 collaborative ...

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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 big ...

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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 to ...

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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 ...

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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 in ...

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’24′ Movie Aiming for a Spring 2012 Start Date

Rob Frappier — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:11:31 +0000

Jack is back – for real this time. At the beginning of the year, a report claimed that Fox was unsatisfied with Billy Ray’s script for the big screen version of the hit series 24 and that the movie was in temporary limbo. Not long after, however, Kiefer Sutherland said that the movie was still in the works and that certain elements of Ray’s script were still in play.

Now, just like its hero, the 24 movie has burst back to life to kick terrorist butt. According to a new report, 24 is just about ready for the big time, pending some last-minute tweaks to the screenplay from new screenwriter Mark Bomback (Unstoppable, The Wolverine).

Deadline has the story that Imagine Entertainment and Fox are pushing hard to get the film started by spring ...

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G.I. Joe 2 Snags PG-13 Rating

Rob Frappier — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:21:17 +0000

Roadblock, Lady Jaye, and a host of new “real American heroes” will face off against Firefly and other new villains in G.I. Joe Retaliation, but don’t expect the butt-kicking action to get too bloody. Like its predecessor, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is going to have a PG-13 rating, according to the sequel’s director, Jon Chu.

Chu revealed the film’s rating in a recent Twitter update, though anyone with a working brain could have guessed that the movie would snag a PG-13 (despite promises of a grittier sequel). For a major action movie, a PG-13 rating is almost a necessity to ensure the biggest box office returns possible.

That being said, there’s no reason why a PG-13 movie can’t offer quality action (as (sort of) demonstrated by the first G.I. Joe film). The key is ...

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Summit and Lionsgate Discussing Possible Merger

Rob Frappier — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:29:51 +0000

Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate, two of Hollywood’s largest independent producers/distributors, are reportedly discussing a possible merger. The two companies have discussed a merger in the past but were unable to come to terms over an agreement.

Summit Entertainment, which is flush with cash thanks to the multibillion dollar Twilight franchise, would be a valuable partner for Lionsgate, which currently holds $550 million in short and long-term debt. For its part, Lionsgate also offers value, including a robust slate of TV shows (including Mad Men) and a large film library that accounts for “8% of the domestic home entertainment market” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Bloomberg, who originally reported the news, writes that previous talks broke down “over price and control issues” and that “Summit has additional suitors” besides Lionsgate. Last year, Lionsgate also tried ...

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Syfy Developing ‘Booster Gold’ TV Series

Rob Frappier — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:29:24 +0000

After a well-received appearance in the final season of WB’s seminal superhero series Smallville, the popular DC character Booster Gold is returning to the small screen in his own TV show for the Syfy channel.

The series is being headed up by Greg Berlanti’s production company, Berlanti Productions. Comic book fans might recall that Greg Berlanti is no stranger to the DC Universe. He created the superhero family drama No Ordinary Family and also wrote and produced Green Lantern (though you shouldn’t hold that against him). Comic book and TV scribe Andrew Kreisberg, who has written for Fringe, has signed on to write the pilot episode of the show.

Having his own TV show w0uld be a fitting development for Booster Gold, whose gimmick involves being a fame-hungry time traveler who uses future technology to become a modern-day ...

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The Worst Movies from the Best Actors

Rob Frappier — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:07:28 +0000

Two weeks ago, Adam Sandler’s new film Jack and Jill opened to an impressive $25 million at the box office. Why was that impressive? Because Jack and Jill also opened to nearly universal negative reviews, garnering a paltry 3% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Of course, the fact that Jack and Jill was a huge critical disappointment shouldn’t be all that surprising. Anyone could have guessed that critics would hate the movie from its first trailer. The one thing about Jack and Jill that is shocking, however, is the fact that Al Pacino stars in the film.

How could Pacino, who starred in movies like The Godfather, agree to be in a movie like Jack and Jill? It just doesn’t make sense. Then again, there are plenty of great actors who have starred in terrible films.

Ask almost anyone ...

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Steven Soderbergh Considering Channing Tatum for ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E’

Rob Frappier — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:57:37 +0000

Since George Clooney dropped out of Steven Soderbergh’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E this past summer, the Academy Award-winning director has been looking at some high-profile young actors to fill Clooney’s shoes.

Some of the names that Soderbergh was allegedly considering for the lead in the film included, Ryan Gosling, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Alexander Skarsgård, and, most recently, Bradley Cooper.

With Cooper passing on the opportunity earlier this month, however, according to Deadline, Soderbergh seems to have settled on a new choice for the spy film: actor Channing Tatum. Deadline notes that Soderbergh hasn’t formally reached out to Tatum with an offer yet, but the actor does have previous experience with Soderbergh and a strong background in action films, so he is definitely a viable candidate for the role.

Tatum and Soderbergh recently worked together on ...

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‘The Muppets’ Take Over Bollywood in Latest Trailer Spoof

Rob Frappier — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 04:23:31 +0000

Disney has had a lot of fun promoting The Muppets movie. First there was The Hangover parody trailer. Then, there was the Green Lantern parody trailer. After that, there was a spoof of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. As the Swedish Chef might say, there was a smorgasbord of parody trailers for Muppets fans to enjoy. (Here at Screen Rant, we even got into the act ourselves with a mash-up of The Muppets and The Avengers.)

That all seemed to come to an end last month when Disney put out what we thought was the final parody trailer – a mega spoof that riffed on Paranormal Activity, Twilight, Happy Feet, and more. However, while that trailer was billed as the last, it turns out that there was actually ...

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‘Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas’ Director in Talks for ‘Family Getaway’

Rob Frappier — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:43:16 +0000

Director Todd Strauss-Schulson made his feature film debut this past weekend with the raunchy stoner comedy A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. Now the director is being pursued for the family action-comedy film Family Getaway. Huh?

If you’re scratching your head wondering how the director responsible for putting 3D genitalia and a coked-up three-year-old on the big screen has become the top choice for a high-profile family action-comedy film, it’s not as confusing as it sounds.

While it may not seem like a logical step at first glance, there are actually quite a few similarities between the two films. Family Getaway, which made the 2010 Black List, is about a family that has to ...

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New TV Spots: ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,’ ‘Sherlock Holmes 2′ & ‘Mission: Impossible 4′

Rob Frappier — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:17:28 +0000

The marketing machines are in full effect at Columbia, Warner Bros, and Paramount this week, as each studio released new TV spots for their upcoming films: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

We have five videos in total, so feel free to pick your poison. Do you want to see Rooney Mara looking edgy, Robert Downey Jr. acting snide, or Tom Cruise flexing his action star muscles? It’s all here, and just in time for the holidays.

Each of these films opens next month, with Dragon Tattoo and Mission: Impossible actually facing off against each other at the box office on December 21st (Sherlock Holmes 2 opens earlier on December 6th).

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The Girl with the Dragon ...

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Benicio Del Toro to be Offered Villain Role in ‘Star Trek 2′

Rob Frappier — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 03:54:53 +0000

Set phasers to smile. For the last two years, Star Trek fans have been waiting patiently for any information about the sequel to J.J. Abrams’ popular 2009 film and now they have some good news.

According to new reports, Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro may soon be tormenting the cast and crew of the Starship Enterprise in an as-yet-unknown role. Director J.J. Abrams will reportedly make an offer to Benicio Del Toro to star as the main villain of Star Trek 2 this weekend.

Variety reports that the Del Toro deal isn’t totally locked yet, but it seems unlikely that the actor would turn down the chance to be part of a major blockbuster and sources say the Oscar-winner has already ...

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Channing Tatum and Al Pacino Share the Screen in ‘The Son of No One’ Trailer

Rob Frappier — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:11:18 +0000

Channing Tatum has taken some big steps into leading man status over the last few years, including a star turn in the blockbuster action film G.I. Joe - but could anyone have foreseen the actor taking top billing over a Hollywood legend like Al Pacino?

Not me, but that’s exactly what happened in the new police thriller The Son of No One. And you know what? Tatum doesn’t look half-bad.

The movie, which is written and directed by Dito Montiel, follows Jonathan White (Tatum), a young coup who is assigned to work in the same working class neighborhood where he grew up. As White goes about his daily duties trying to police the violent neighborhood, he and his family are harassed by an anonymous individual over an unsolved murder case from 1986 that senior police officials seem ...

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Screen Rant » Rob Frappier

‘Insidious’ Sequel On The Way

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

Universal May Move on ‘Bridesmaids 2′ Without Kristen Wiig

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

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

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

Matt Damon on Stepping Away From ‘Bourne’ Franchise

Neil Marshall Will Direct New Horror Film ‘Hellfest’

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

’24′ Movie Aiming for a Spring 2012 Start Date

G.I. Joe 2 Snags PG-13 Rating

Summit and Lionsgate Discussing Possible Merger

Syfy Developing ‘Booster Gold’ TV Series

The Worst Movies from the Best Actors

Steven Soderbergh Considering Channing Tatum for ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E’

‘The Muppets’ Take Over Bollywood in Latest Trailer Spoof

‘Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas’ Director in Talks for ‘Family Getaway’

New TV Spots: ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,’ ‘Sherlock Holmes 2′ & ‘Mission: Impossible 4′

The Girl with the Dragon ...Click to continue reading New TV Spots: ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,’ ‘Sherlock Holmes 2′ & ‘Mission: Impossible 4′

Benicio Del Toro to be Offered Villain Role in ‘Star Trek 2′

Channing Tatum and Al Pacino Share the Screen in ‘The Son of No One’ Trailer

The Girl with the Dragon ...

Click to continue reading New TV Spots: ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,’ ‘Sherlock Holmes 2′ & ‘Mission: Impossible 4′