Akira may be suffering set-backs (fans of the original the world over rejoice), but Garrett Hedlund doesn’t appear to be taking it to heart.

The Tron: Legacy star has signed on to star in the Coen brothers’ latest project, a drama set in the 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene. The film, titled Inside Llewyn Davis, follows the career of singer Dave Van Ronk, a real life friend of Bob Dylan and author of the memoir the film is to be based on.

This isn’t Hedlund’s first foray into musical drama, having starred opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in last year’s Country Strong. While the film might have faltered, Hedlund held his own in a relatively demanding role.

Although at this time it isn’t clear who the actor will be playing, he will join a cast which also includes Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman.

Variety had this one first.

The road to getting a live-action Hollywood remake of Katsuhiro Otomo’s original manga and anime, Akira, has been a long and hard one. In the past year, the project seems to have been gaining some traction, with Unknown’s Jaume Collet-Serra signing on to direct the film, and some brilliant casting possibilities has been coming in recent months.

At the end of last week, though, it was reported that the production studios in Vancouver that were getting ready for the film, which was scheduled to start shooting in February/March, had been shut down. Initially, it was unclear if this was for budgetary reasons or for a script rewrite, but now it seems as though the project is still very much alive at Warner Bros.

Variety report, via ComicBookMovie.com, that none other than Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan’s brother and fellow scribe on The Dark Knight, The Prestige, and this year’s highly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises, is being eyed by the studio to do the rewrite, with Green Lantern’s Michael Green also being considered:

“As for “Akira,” which has only “Tron: Legacy” star Garrett Hedlund locked, the studio is by no means pulling the plug. Insiders said a new writer will probably be brought on over the next two weeks to focus on character elements and particularly on the pic’s look. While no one’s yet been offered the job, studio is said to be eyeing Jonah Nolan (“The Dark Knight,” “The Dark Knight Rises”) and Michael Green (“Green Lantern”).

WB prexy Jeff Robinov met with the “Akira” team to discuss several issues, including who would land the second lead opposite Hedlund. Choices had been narrowed down to Michael Pitt and Dane DeHaan, but the studio wanted to wait until after the holidays to decide. Now that decision will be delayed further.”

Though casting news has been coming for some time, Hedlund is the only one who’s officially signed on, but some very talented people have been in talks for the other leading roles alongside him, including Ken Watanabe, Kristen Stewart, and Helena Bonham Carter, and hopefully they’ll be signing on soon too.

The report also sheds light on the casting of the male co-lead opposite Hedlund, singling out Michael Pitt and Dane DeHaan as possibilities, which throws new names into the hat, after the likes of Logan Marshall-Green, Toby Kebbell, and Paul Dano were thought to be testing too back in November. (I’ve been rooting for Kebbell, myself; he was so good in RocknRolla.)

I’m naturally well aware that reception of the Akira project is mixed. Many fans don’t think the original needs an adaptation, and particularly one that has only Watanabe so far as a Japanese actor involved in the film. Personally, I’m willing to overlook any and all potential criticisms, because I think this has a huge potential to be immense, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

Nolan is of course a very talented writer, and it would be amazing if he were to come on and do a rewrite for the script. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. As always, more news as we get it.

The remake of Katsuhiro Otomo’s original classic manga and anime, Akira, can’t seem to catch a break. The project has been struggling in development for years, but things have been looking up for the Hollywood remake in the past few months.

Back in July, Unknown’s Jaume Collet-Serra signed on to direct the film, and we’ve seen some brilliant casting news recently, with Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Ken Watanabe, and Helena Bonham Carter all being courted for leading roles, all of which you can catch up on here.

Now, however, production offices in Vancouver have been shut down, and the below-the-line talent and crew are being told to go home, THR report. The reason for this remains unclear, with different sources citing different reasons.

One insider describes the problem as being budget-related. Collet-Serra has already reduced what was a substantially larger budget to bring it down to a more modest $90m. range for Warner Bros. But this insider says that that figure is still too high, with an aim to bring it down further to the $60-70m. range. Another insider, though, says that the budget isn’t the problem, which is to remain at $90m., and production is being halted because of script issues.

It sounds as though script work is going to be done, with THR noting that the producers will be working with Collet-Serra to iron out the script over the next two weeks, and it is currently unclear whether Steve Kloves, well known for his work on the Harry Potter films, will come back to work on the rewrite he did for the project.

Whether it is the script or the budget that’s currently causing the problems, I’m just hoping that the film will still be able to go ahead, and stay close to its initial production estimates. Filming was originally expected to begin in February or March this year, so hopefully some productive work can be done in the next few weeks to make that still happen.

One positive note for those, like me, who’ve been looking forward to this remake for some time:

“Sources close to the project say Akira isn’t dead yet.  “It’s a very resilient movie,” says one insider. “Warner Bros. just won’t let it die.””

That Warner Bros. want this to happen too definitely makes me optimistic. Of course, they’ll only want to make it if they think that it will be good and that it will make them a return on their money. The worldwide audience that already knows or has heard of the original manga/anime should give them a substantial built-in audience for the film if it’s good, and add to that the big names that are set to lead the cast. So keep your fingers crossed that they’ll remain resilient with the project, and that it will keep all of its current expected stars, because that’s a cast list I’d love to see all together on this. More news as we get it.

What a way to start the day! Having reported just last night about the list of actors testing for the second of the male co-leads in Jaume Collet-Serra’s upcoming Akira remake, the brilliant casting news surrounding this project is literally getting better every day.

TRON: Legacy’s Garrett Hedlund and The Twilight Saga’s Kristen Stewart have already been offered the leading roles of Kaneda and Kei, respectively, and I think they are both fantastic choices.

News came last month that Warner Bros. had reached out to Gary Oldman for the role of The Colonel, and though the actor was approached and had been talking about the possibility, no firm offer was made.

Twitch now report, via Collider, that none other than the immense Oscar-nominated actor, Ken Watanabe, has been offered the role in place of Oldman. Watanabe is one of, if not the, most recognisable Japanese actor in English language cinema, and I think he would be an impeccable addition to the cast, so I’m really hoping that the offer will go through smoothly.

Though there are no doubt many sceptical of an American remake, especially fans of Katsuhiro Otomo’s original manga and anime, I have really high hopes and expectations for the project, and think that it’s going to be nothing short of immense. The cast so far sounds brilliant, and Watanabe would only be furthering that brilliance.

The actor has worked on some of my all-time favourite films, including Christopher Nolan’s Inception and Edward Zwick’s The Last Samurai, the latter of which earned him his Best Supporting Actor nomination, and being cast in the Akira remake would give us yet another opportunity to see him on the big screen here in the UK, something we don’t often get to do. With two Japanese projects currently in post-production, his schedule is looking open enough to fit Akira into his calendar next year, which would be perfect.

Though at the moment, it’s just an offer that’s been made, I’m staying very optimistic and hopeful that it will become more concrete soon. With production set to begin early next year, Collet-Serra will no doubt want his leading cast confirmed as soon as possible, so we’ll hopefully have more news to bring you soon. Keep your fingers crossed that it’s going to be good news for us and Watanabe.

The past few weeks have seen some excellent progress being made on the Akira remake front. Garrett Hedlund has been selected to star as one of the film’s two male leads, given the role of Kaneda. Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter have both been approached to star. And just last week, Kristen Stewart was offered the lead female role of Kei, which I think is a brilliant choice.

News now comes from Collider that there are some great names in the mix for the other male lead, Tetsuo, with seven names having tested for the role yesterday and the day before: Logan Marshall-Green, D.J. Cotrona, Toby Kebbell, Richard Madden, Rami Malek, and Paul Dano and Alden Ehrenreich retesting for the part.

Unknown’s Jaume Collet-Serra is taking the helm for the project, which has a $90m. budget, and it’s definitely something I’m looking forward to. I think Hedlund and Stewart are both going to be awesome in this, and the list of co-leads has some excellent names on it.

Personally, my vote is torn between Marshall-Green and Kebbell. I admit I don’t have much experience with the others’ roles, but Marshall-Green and Kebbell have both been so great in what I’ve seen them in that I’m rooting for either of them.

Marshall-Green may not be a household name, but with a leading role in Ridley Scott’s upcoming Prometheus, I think he’s going to be quickly rising by the time next summer rolls around.

And Kebbell was nothing short of brilliant in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla, and I’d love to see him in more and more roles in the future. We’ll next be seeing him in the Clash of the Titans sequel, Wrath of the Titans, next March. And he’s currently filming the indie film The East, alongside Ellen Page, Alexander Skarsgård, and Brit Marling, and that stellar cast makes me think that that film’s going to be so good.

With the Akira testing having been done over the past two days, I’m hoping it won’t be long before we’ll get confirmation of who’s been chosen. This is definitely a film to be keeping your eye on, and as always, we’ll be bringing you more news as and when we get it.

Though some might disagree, this is a project that’s been shaping up pretty damn nicely in my eyes recently. Based on Katsuhiro Otomo’s original Japanese manga/anime, Akira is set to make its big-screen American adaptation with Unknown’s Jaume Collet-Serra in the driving seat behind the camera.

TRON: Legacy’s Garrett Hedlund, who I think has deservedly been making a name for himself lately, has been tapped in one of the two male leads as Kaneda, and Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter have both been approached with offers.

Kristen Stewart has now also been approached with an offer, Collider report, to play the female lead, Kei, a love interest for Hedlund’s Kaneda.

The specifics for Steve Kloves’ script are still being kept under wraps, though it’s been known for some time that the location of the originals has been moved from New Tokyo to New Manhattan – you’d perhaps think that the names of the characters would change to match that switch, but maybe not.

Regardless, I think Stewart would be a fantastic choice for the remake. Though I admit that I’ve never yet seen any of the Twilight films, I’ve loved her work in other films, and think she would be great in this. With the Twilight series almost over, Stewart has been actively seeking roles that go beyond what she could have been typecast as, which I think is both brilliant and brave.

She’ll next be seen in the first part of the Twilight conclusion, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I, before starring as one of the female leads in Walter Salles’ adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s On The Road. She’s also been hard at work filming Snow White and the Huntsman of late, and moving on to Akira in the new year, with production expected to begin in February/March next year, sounds like a perfect fit. More news as we get it.

It seems that Hollywood is finally starting to wise up to a little fact that moviegoers have known for quite a while; Gary Oldman is simply put, a badass.

Oldman has already taken up some iconic roles with films like The Fifth Element, Leon: The Professional, and Nolan’s Batman flicks to name a few.  However it seems like his newest role as an M16 espionage specialist in Thomas Alfredson’s new Cold War drama, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, is generating quite a bit of awards buzz, as well as putting him in high demand for some studios.

According to Deadline one such studios, Warner Bros., is now linking Oldman to two of their upcoming 2013 releases.  The first, will be alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Garrett Hedlund as the rugged Colonel Shikishima in the perhaps inescapably Americanized retelling of the classic Anime/Manga, Akira.  More recently, Oldman has also signed on for perhaps an even more iconic role as Merlin for Dave Dobkin’s film, Arthur & Lancelot.

Now I can’t personally speak as to whether or not Oldman will finally grab himself that ever elusive Oscar, after all, I still have yet to see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.  However if this win does actually come to pass, I am predicting dark times in the future for Mr. Oldman.  More often than not we see actors follow up award-winning performances with a slew of terrible films that aren’t even worth their weight in 1′s and 0′s (Remember Jamie Fox’s and Halle Berry’s careers after their wins?).  Akira has just about every fandom nerd worried and has been teetering on the edge of disaster for years now.  Then you have this other film, Arthur & Lancelot, which if David Dobkin’s last 3 films are any indication, will be yet another piece of comedy drivel that fails to hit home.

I will try though to stay the optimist and hope for nothing but the best from Oldman in the upcoming years.  He’s proven his worth time and time again, so perhaps he can find it himself to conjure enough of that special something of his to keep these Warner Bros. projects from collapsing in on themselves.

Karl Urban (Star Trek), Ben Barnes (Stardust) and Emilia Clarke (Games of Thrones) are in talks to star in action pic Overdrive.

Overdrive centres on two adventurous siblings who find more trouble than they are looking for in the South of France.

Antonio Negret (Seconds Apart) is attached to direct from a script by screenwriters Derek Haas and Michael Brandt.

Filming is set to begin in Marseilles on October 29.

Overdrive has been in development since 2009, ever since scribes Haas and Brandt took a trip overseas in November 2008. Several actors, including Matthew Goode, Alex Pettyfer and Garrett Hedlund, have been attached at various points.

Source: THR

Casting news should always be taken with a pinch of salt when in relation to Warner Bros’ Akira remake – Leonardo DiCaprio, Zac Efron and Morgan Freeman have previously been linked to the project to little effect – so don’t get all riled up just yet, but Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter have allegedly been offered roles as The Colonel and Lady Miyako respectively.

With Tron: Legacy‘s Garrett Hedlund leading up the contenders for the film’s leading parts, Oldman and Bonham Carter – if cast – would see the former responsible for unleashing the powerful Akira and the latter aiding rival Kaneda in his quest to put a stop to the resultant destruction.

Both actors have a history with the studio, having starred in its immensely lucrative Harry Potter franchise, and as such it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that they might accept. With around six months remaining until director Jaume Collet-Serra plans to go before the camera, however, it is likely that it will still be some time yet before we have casting news of any real certainty.

IndieWire had it first.

After years of rumours it looks like we’re finally going to get a live-action remake of the acclaimed 1988 Japanese animated movie Akira, as Warner Brothers give the go-ahead for a $90 million production to be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Unknown).

Talk regarding a Hollywood remake of Akira – which follows the leader of a bike gang as he attempts to save his friend from being involved in a secret government project related to powerful psychokinetic abilities – has been ongoing since at least the early 90s when Sony Pictures were said to be working on an adaptation. Ever since Warner Brothers acquired the rights for Akira from the publisher of the original manga series in 2008 the rumour mill has been working overtime reporting possible stars, with everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Justin Timberlake, Chris Pine, Zac Effron and Keanu Reeves said to be in talks for the lead role of Shotaro Kaneda.

With the news that production is finally moving forward under Collet-Serra’s direction, and with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way producing, we also hear that Garrett Hedlund, best known for his role as Sam Flynn in last year’s Tron: Legacy, might be close to signing on as Kaneda. While the names of the characters will undoubtedly change to reflect the western actors involved, Hedlund’s experience on Legacy’s light cycles will undoubtedly stand him in good stead should he find himself climbing aboard Kaneda’s iconic motorcycle.

Filming on Akira is expected to start sometime in February or March 2012.

Source: Variety.

Break out the neon gaffer tape and fire up the light cycle, User – it looks like we’re heading back to the Grid.

After the box office success of 2010’s Tron Legacy (despite a lukewarm critical reception it went on to make $400 million worldwide) and an animated series entitled Tron Uprising on the horizon the idea of another movie in the franchise was always a distinct possibility, and now it seems as if we’ve got some confirmation on that front – and from Tron himself, no less.

Bruce Boxleitner, who played Encom employee Alan Bradley and the title character in both the 1982 original and its sequel, was asked at a signing at the recent D23 Expo if he’d be willing to reprise his roles if a third movie were to be produced. His answer?

“It’s already a done deal … it’s already in the works. 2013, I think.”

This isn’t the first time that we’ve heard about a possible third Tron movie. It was reported back in June that David DiGilio had been hired as a scriptwriter, while previous rumours – and even extras on the Tron Legacy Blu-ray – had already suggested that the character of Edward Dillinger II (played by an uncredited Cillian Murphy in a scene at the beginning of Legacy) would become the primary villain should Disney move forward with another sequel.

No CLU yet what the film will be called, though.

(source: Ain’t It Cool)

MK2 have released a promo poster for On the Road, the feature film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s acclaimed novel of the same name.

Directed by Walter Salles, On the Road stars Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Sam Riley, Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Tom Sturridge, Steve Buscemi and Elisabeth Moss.

Dean (Hedlund) and Sal (Riley) are the portrait of the Beat Generation living in the here and now during the Fifties. Their search for “It” results in a fast paced, energetic roller coaster ride with highs and lows throughout the U.S.

MK2, American Zoetrope and Film4 are currently selling On the Road to multiple territories at the 64th annual Cannes Film Festival. The adventure-drama is expected to be released in the Autumn.

Check out the promo poster below:

Source: The Playlist

The road to The Bourne Legacy has seen many actors and directors come and go, with the team of Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon talking up (then talking down) a fourth Bourne film with the two of them involved, then it became clear that Tony Gilroy would be the man behind the camera and the search was on for the film’s leading man.

Dominic Cooper, Garrett Hedlund and just today Joel Edgerton were among those tipped as the man to take the franchise on, but Deadline have just revealed that Jeremy Renner has been offered the role by Universal.

If he accepts he will be following his leading role in the new Mission: Impossible film Ghost Protocol – a film which is said to launch a new MI series with Renner in the role similar to Ethan Hunt. To lead both franchises, which are not exactly dissimilar, would cement Renner’s reputation as a fully fledged action star. His role in Ben Affleck’s The Town was critically lauded and his role as Hawkeye in the forthcoming Marvel films Thor and The Avengers has the potential to lead his own superhero film, though nothing has been announced.

The Bourne Legacy has a release date of 3rd August, 2012.

Now this is a rather awesome prize! Disney have been in touch to offer us 5 pairs of tickets to their Tron: Legacy DVD & Reconfigured Album Launch Party which is taking place in London next Wednesday, 20th April. The party is to celebrate the release of Tron: Legacy on Blu-Ray, DVD, On Demand, and Digital Download (order your copy here) as well as the launch of the Tron: Reconfigured Album; a remix album of the stunning Daft Punk release.

There will also be some performances by some very special guests. After attending the premiere after-party for this movie, I have no doubt that this event will be spectacular!

On April 20^th April 2011, The Walt Disney Company will be celebrating the release of TRON: Legacy DVD/BLUE RAY & RECONFIGURED ALBUM with a Launch Party @ Heaven nightclub in London, featuring performances by some special guests.

Beyond the amazing line up, Heaven will be plugged into the GRID for the night to create the ultimate TRON experience and an amazing hands on experience provided by HP ePrint.

Tron: Legacy stars, Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain, Beau Garrett and is directed by Joseph Kosinski. If you missed our rather extensive coverage of the Theatrical release, you can check it all out here.

To be in with a chance of winning one pair of tickets to this exclusive event, all you need to do is become a fan of HeyUGuys on Facebook and answer the question using the form below:

Who directed the movie, Tron: Legacy?

Please note: If you enter this competition you MUST be free to attend the party in a central London location on Wednesday, 20th April.

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• You must be free to attend the party in London on Wednesday 20th April
• Transportation is not included in the prize and you must arrange your own transport to and from the venue
• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 18th April 12.30 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

Deadline is reporting that the lead role in the highly anticipated The Bourne Legacy currently has a few frontrunners that are set to test for director and co-writer Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote all of the scripts for the last three Bourne films.

The list now includes Dominic Cooper, Joel Edgerton, Garrett Hedlund, and Luke Evans. It’s interesting that of these four actors, Hedlund is the only American, with Cooper and Evans both being British and Edgerton being Australian. Given that The Bourne Legacy is going to be a completely new take on the franchise, without Matt Damon as the lead, it is at least feasible that the new lead character might not be an American. Whether Universal would want this, I don’t know, but it could be interesting to see the franchise develop beyond the CIA.

With the exception of Hedlund, who starred in last year’s blockbuster Tron: Legacy, none of the actors have really had a significant lead role in a major American film, which The Bourne Legacy is undoubtedly set to be. So being cast in such a role would definitely be a huge break for them, essentially being handed the keys to the kingdom with a potential new franchise of their own to look forward to.

Two other names are still reported to be in consideration, Shia LaBeouf (who apparently will not test), and Taylor Kitsch (X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s Gambit). So the field is still a little open, but is certainly narrowing from the longer list that was produced last month.

Universal have set the release date for the new Bourne film as 3rd August, 2012, so hopefully we will have a confirmed lead actor and a supporting to cast to bring you very soon.

The dark side to country music is explored yet again as relationships are put to the test (on and off stage) in Country Strong.

Gwyneth Paltrow is country superstar Kelly Canter, a Faith Hill-esque figure (presumably with added hedonistic tendencies) who has fallen on hard times. Finishing a stint in rehab, she’s due to stage a comeback tour, although her mental and physical wellbeing may not be ready for such a demanding activity. Manager/husband James (Tim McGraw – ironically, the only bona fide country star in the film who doesn’t sing) however, is convinced this is just what she needs in order to make it back to the top again. Much to the annoyance of her husband, Kelly insists on bringing with her on tour as a supporting act, a young hospital orderly and aspiring singer-songwriter (Tron: Legacy’s Garrett Hedlund, swapping a light cycle for an acoustic guitar) whom she has formed an intimate bond with during her hospitalisation.

Emotions are further tempered when jealously rears its ugly head as a beauty queen-turned-singer (Leighton Meester) joins the tour as James’ protégé. Can Kelly make it through to the all-important dates, or will she be doing bourbon chasers while popping those pills by the time the tour reaches Dallas (the setting and catalyst for her previous downfall).

In the past few years in particular, the world of country music has created a fascinating outlet for both real-life and fictitious cinematic lost souls who are battling their demons and trying to regain the magic touch the once possessed. Some have even reaped the ultimate Hollywood accolade for their portrayals, with Oscar nods for both Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Jeff Bridges finally picking up the statue via Crazy Heart.

Although acquitting herself quite well in the singing department (and her recent guest spot on TV’s Glee is further evidence that she has the chops) unfortunately, Paltrow just doesn’t have the range to play a fragile and week-willed addict, and as her performance is the crux of the film, this is a major issue. When Kelly’s husband keeps lamenting about her success in the past and acknowledging that “she used to be tough as nails”, you don’t buy into that at all. One of the reasons behind her stay in rehab is due to behaviour which contributed to the death of her unborn baby, but as the character is so shallow and one-dimensional, the audience’s sympathy is never there for her, despite this tragic revelation.

A stronger actress in the lead may have elevated the film to a so-so drama, although Shana Feste’s unambitious and pedestrian direction doesn’t help either. The film looks like one of those made-for-TV movies and apart from the odd glimpse of Kelly’s destructive behaviour (which don’t really push the boundaries of decency and taste anyway) the film wouldn’t seem out of place in one of those mid-afternoon screening slots on terrestrial TV. The only touching scene is delivered when Kelly pays a visit to a school during the tour, and plays to a young child suffering from leukaemia. It helps that the kid looks genuinely sick, but we’re also offered a fleeting look at a warm and maternal side to the singer – an interesting and conflicting aspect an to an otherwise cold and detached character, which is never really exploited again in the film.

The two younger co-stars fare much better. Meester (best known for TV’s Gossip Girl) initially comes over as all naïve and innocent, but is able to imbue her character with a strength and level-headedness which is very appealing. Hedlund too is surprisingly good, and handles the singing side admirably, his gravelly voice completely lending itself to a heart-felt country ditties he croons. It wouldn’t be surprising if he isn’t already fielding offers from potential records companies on the quality of his work here.

The fine efforts of the supporting cast can’t save the film though, and the overly-melodramatic and emotionally contrived ending, which seems to come out of nowhere, doesn’t ring true at all. What’s left is an essentially hollow and lifeless piece, enlivened by some impressive musical numbers and a couple of decent performances, but little else.

If country music is your thing, give the film a miss and download the soundtrack instead.

**~~~ (2/5)

Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) has been added to the cast of Savages, an adaptation of the bestselling novel by Don Winslow.

Oliver Stone will direct from a script by Winslow and Shane Salerno.

In addition to Lawrence’s casting, Stone is also meeting with several top actors, including Leonardo DiCaprio (Shutter Island), Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass), Tom Hardy (Inception), Benicio Del Toro (The Wolfman), James Franco (127 Hours) and Garrett Hedlund (Country Strong).

Savages centers on a love triangle between two best friends and O (Lawrence), the wild child girlfriend they share.

Lawrence will next be seen in Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class – the trailer for which can be viewed here.

Source: Deadline

Icon Film have released a new batch of images from the upcoming adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s acclaimed novel On the Road.

Directed by Walter Salles, from a script penned by Jose Rivera, On the Road stars Sam Riley, Kristen Stewart, Garrett Hedlund, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, Viggo Mortensen, Tom Sturridge, Elisabeth Moss, Steve Buscemi and Alice Braga.

A young man sets out to travel the roads and railways of America.

On the Road will be released in the Autumn.

Check out the images – which feature Dean Moriarty (Hedlund), Sal Paradise (Riley) and Mary-Lou (Stewart) – below:

Source: Comme au Cinema

I wish I had the power to make this happen! Magazine powerhouse, Vanity Fair has released a new image and behind the scenes video from the photo-shoot which they hosted for their 17th version of the ‘Hollywood Issue’ this month.

The list of actors assembled includes:

Oscar presenters, Anne Hathaway and James Franco, then Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Lawrence, Noomi Rapace, Anthony Mackie, Olivia Wilde, Mila Kunis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, Garrett Hedlund, and then veteran acting legend, Robert Duvall

According to the details, the cover was shot in both Los Angeles and New York by photographer, Norman Jean Roy and what a fantastic job he’s done with it too! The behind the scenes video (which i’ve also embedded) was hosted by Krista Smith who spoke to pretty much all the subjects.

Keep your eyes peeled at your local newsagents for this issue in the coming days.

Thanks to @lpoolfilmclub for sending this our way. head over to the Vanity Fair website for the full lowdown.

With Tron: Legacy receiving largely mixed to negative reviews and a lukewarm reception at the box office, the movie’s effects earning the only praise, it is not unreasonable to presume that if Tron is to continue as a franchise, it might be better suited to a different medium. After all, while the original Tron movie similarly failed to impress during its original theatrical run, it was the tie in game – as seen created by Jeff Bridges character in the movie – that was bringing punters back for more.

Featuring a plot that is inextricably linked to video games – Kevin Flynn is a game designer at the original movie’s open – Tron has users compete with programmes through a series of games. Competitors and programmes engage in light disk or light cycle battles on a Colosseum-esque grid system until one of the gamers is bested and destroyed. While a narrative is created around this central arena, it is the scenes which take place on the grid that prove the most exciting, engaging and redeeming in both the original and belated sequel Tron: Legacy.

Tron’s foray into game-play, however, has not ended with the initial arcade game. The sequel’s director Joe Kosinski and a number of the movie’s producers have worked closely with Propaganda Games and N-Space to develop games tha bridge the gap between movies, Tron: Evolution and Tron: Evolution – Battle Grids respectively. Steve Lisberger, one such producer, is keen to point out the lengths such adaptations take to further the mythology originally set out in the movies.

“I like the fact that the games in some ways are a visual and a narrative test bed for Hollywood, where some of the more far-out ideas can be experimented with on a somewhat smaller scale than having to ratchet them all the way up to a film like Tron: Legacy. I think that’s a good relationship between games and films.”

Tron: Evolution – Battle Grids, available for the Wii only, is set closer to the original movie, dropping the darker narrative elements for a mainstream actioner utilising the numerous weapons and vehicles available on the grid arena. Tron: Evolution, on the other hand, is available on all consoles and picks up the action nearer the events of Tron: Legacy. Opening in 1990 and chronicling the fall of the computer world, it is this game in particular that could continue the franchise in the light of the latest movie’s under-performance. Propaganda Games’ character art director Jeremy Miller explains:

“When you watch the movie you will see flashbacks of a young Sam Flynn around this time and the game shares a couple of those scenes. By playing the games, fans will learn out a lot of interesting back story, including the fall of the ISOs—a race of programs that play a major role in the Tron mythology.”

“I had done all this work on Quorra’s back story while we were shooting Tron: Legacy, and when they said the videogame would take place in between the first Tron film and Legacy, I realized I was going to be able to use so much of the research I did on her past to create this younger version of her.”

The fact that the Playstation 3 version of the game is playable in stereoscopic 3D, in particular, should help sell it. As Walt Disney’s Bob Iger points out, “I think games like Tron: Legacy have a great opportunity to use 3D technology to create a much more immersive experience for the consumer,” where Garrett Hedlund‘s somewhat vanilla Sam Flynn might have left audiences cold, the possibility to yourself engage in the battle to save the computer world holds promise and intrigue.

Should a third movie, which producers have “beginning thoughts” for, never happen, a gaming future for the franchise proves a decidedly more attractive alternative. Watching other people play video games has never been the most exciting prospect, something which hinders enjoyment of those elements of the movie, whereas a game which lets you lose with a light cycle – expanding the mythology only to complement the action – might prove an ordering of priorities which befits the Tron universe.