So far, we’ve been getting some fantastic casting updates over the past few weeks, with Prison Break’s Robert Knepper most recently joining the cast for Ryan Reynolds’ next big film, R.I.P.D., alongside Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon, and Mary Louise-Parker.

The film is being directed by Robert Schwentke (RED), and has been adapted from Peter M. Lenkov’s original comic book by frequent collaborators Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Æon Flux, Clash of the Titans).

We’ve now got some sunny photos from the film’s set to share with you, courtesy of Collider, that show Ryan Reynolds’ holding one of the biggest, fattest handguns I can remember seeing. I’ll readily admit that my knowledge of firearms is next to nothing, but the barrel of his gun seems pretty huge, right? It does to me, at least. Excellent stuff.

Reynolds was last seen in The Change-Up and Green Lantern this year, neither of which did especially well, but whilst I haven’t seen the former, I thought he was definitely the best thing Green Lantern had going for it, and in my opinion, his performance had nothing to do with the film’s less than stellar box office takings.

Either way, Reynolds has been making a good name for himself over the past few years, and this is a project that I’m really looking forward to. Having your leading cast include Reynolds, Bridges, Bacon in the villain’s role, and Louise-Parker is definitely promising, and I can’t wait to see how this looks on the big screen.

The film will see Reynolds playing a murdered cop who discovers upon his death that he’s been recruited for the R.I.P.D., the Rest In Peace Department, a force of dead police officers who fight the spirits of the world unready to leave it.

It definitely sounds like an interesting project, and whilst most of the visuals we should be able to look forward to aren’t likely to surface in any of the set photos we’ll be getting in the weeks to come, it should be well worth the wait to see the finished product. R.I.P.D. has a slated release date of 28th June, 2013, and we’ll hopefully be getting it at the same time here in the UK. It’s still a while off yet, but nonetheless, I can’t wait. Without further ado, here are the new set photos to enjoy. As usual, click to enlarge with the first, third, and fourth photos.

Robert Knepper, best known for his brilliant performance as Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell throughout TV’s Prison Break, has signed on to star in the film adaptation of the Dark Horse comic, R.I.P.D., Heat Vision report.

He joins what is already a fantastic cast, led by Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges, and also starring Mary Louise Parker, Kevin Bacon, James Hong, and Marisa Miller. Frequent collaborators Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Æon Flux, Clash of the Titans) have adapted Peter M. Lenkov’s original comic book, and production has already begun.

“The story centers on a murdered cop (Reynolds) who is recruited to work in the Rest in Peace Department, a police force comprised of ghosts who battle spirits unready to depart this world.

Knepper will play one of the spirits, known as a “deado” in the movie’s lingo.”

R.I.P.D. sees director Robert Schwentke following up from the terrific success of last year’s comic book adaptation, RED. Even though Reynolds’ last two films – Green Lantern and The Change-Up – haven’t performed tremendously well at the box office (the latter has only just come out here, but came out a month ago in the States), I still think that he’s a brilliant actor, and I thought he was the best thing Green Lantern had going for it. In my opinion, he did really well from a script that could have been much better. As such, I’m really looking forward to seeing him take on this role, which sounds like it has the potential to be a fantastic protagonist in a terrific film.

Knepper was one of my favourite characters, and undoubtedly many other people’s too, in Prison Break throughout its four seasons, managing to bring T-Bag to life in a way I can’t see anyone else doing nearly as well. He also had a great turn in the last season of Heroes, and has starred in several high-grossing feature films, including George Clooney’s Good Night and Good Luck, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and the Hitman film. He’s been such a good actor in everything I’ve seen him in to date, so there’s every reason to expect we’ll get another terrific performance from him in R.I.P.D.

The film has a scheduled release date of 28th June, 2013 in the US, and hopefully we’ll be getting it then too. Whilst that does like quite a while away, with production having already started, it sounds like it should be well worth the wait.

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)

Though Ryan Reynolds’ latest film here, Green Lantern, didn’t perform that great at the box office, taking just under its $200m. budget at the box office, it was nice to see Reynolds  generally accepted as one of the best things the film had going for it.

One of his next projects, RIPD, is starting to sound increasingly awesome, and THR and Deadline report that Victoria’s Secret model Marisa Miller, veteran Asian-American actor James Hong, and Glee’s Mike O’Malley have joined the film’s cast.

Of all these new additions, James Hong is the only name I really know well, for his brilliant role as Cassandra’s martial arts expert father in Wayne’s World 2. His fight scene with Mike Myers is the stuff of comedic legends. Marisa Miller will be making her feature debut with this after a few small roles in TV’s Entourage and How I Met Your Mother, and Glee regular Mike O’Malley has also signed on to the project.

The film will be based on the original comic by Peter M. Lenkov, and will be directed by Robert Schwentke, whose experience directing last year’s comic book movie success, Red, should definitely be useful for RIPD. Neal H. Mortiz will be producing, and his credits are more than a little bit impressive, including I Am Legend, all five The Fast And The Furious films, and every episode of Prison Break.

RIPD focuses on Nick Walker (Reynolds), a recently murdered cop that joins the Rest In Peace Department, a team of undead cops that fight spirits not yet ready to leave this world, whilst Walker all the while tries to hunt the man that killed him.

Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon, and Mary Louise-Parker (who worked with Schwentke on Red) are all also attached to what is already looking like a fantastic cast. Bridges will be playing Reynolds’ new undead partner, Bacon will be playing the villain, and the lovely Louise-Parker will be the one overseeing the RIPD, informing Reynolds of what’s happened to him and his new duties.

In this comic book world, the undead take on a different form for external appearances when humans see them – after all, if you bump into anyone you knew when you were alive, things could get a bit tricky to explain. James Hong will be playing Grandpa Chen (what a name), Reynolds’ avatar, and amusingly Miller will be playing Bridges’ avatar.

There has of course been a big rise in the number of comic book adaptations made for the big screen in recent years, and whilst not all of them are as worthwhile as the rest, this definitely sounds to me like something that could turn out pretty awesome. The lead cast is brilliant, as is the director, and with a 28^th June, 2013 release date, this certainly has the potential to be a popular summer blockbuster in two years.

Many out there may be aware that some of cinema’s most iconic characters, like the titular figure from Citizen Kane and Psycho’s Norman Bates, were partially inspired by real-life figures (newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and serial killer Ed Gein, respectively), but sometimes other, equally memorable big screen creations have been sculpted from the personality of a living individual, and not necessarily someone who is well-known to the outside world either. This is certainly the case of the Coen Brother’s much-loved, weed-toking, White Russian-fixated lead character, The Dude, from their celebrated 1997 cult classic, The Big Lebowski.

The person in question, (who can be partly attributed to the success of the film, and the reason way legions of fans attend yearly festivals dedicated to it), is a real-life gentleman (and good friend of the Coens) by the name of Jeff Dowd. Santa Monica-based, he’s been a fixture in the land of independent cinema for a long time, having written and produced a number of shorts and features, as well as working within the marketing and distribution side to the industry. He also helped with the launch of both the Sundance Institute and the subsequent Film Festival.

Having first met the Coens whilst they were in the process of sourcing distribution funds for their debut, Blood Simple (“it was a hell of a film to try and pitch”), he was shown the finished cut a couple of months later and was really impressed with it. “You see films from certain filmmakers, and five minutes in you really get what they are doing. The interesting thing about Blood Simple was every distributer passed on the film five times. We managed to get it up to the Toronto Film Festival and the thing exploded, and we had a minor bidding war going on afterwards. For the next year I worked on the distribution and marketing and that’s how I got to know Joel and Ethan.”

Although he’s fond of bowling and known in some circles, due to his political past (he was part of the infamous 70’s state-side anti-war group, The Seattle Seven) Dowd is keen to stress the difference (and similarities) between himself and his fictional counterpart. “The story is not my life. I was in the Seattle Seven, but I wasn’t a roadie for Metallica. The character’s body language is 100% me though. Jeff (Bridges) got that. How he sits, talks, goes off on tangents. I’ve always been kinda funny and weird. I asked one of my friends for his definition of The Dude, and he said ‘the holy fool full of heart’. That’s what Joel and Ethan picked up about me.”

Dowd’s interaction with the fans has sometimes yielded a bigger and more profound emotional response than he could have ever imagined. “I was at a screening one time, and this guy comes over and gives me a big hug. Turns out he was a 911 survivor and also a paramedic. The events of that day had turned him into a basket case. What brought him out of it was putting on the DVD one night, where he told me he laughed for the first time in six months. I’m still in touch with him now.”

He’s also found that love for the film can come from the unlikeliest of places. “I’ve had an Iraq veteran tell me that he and his circle of friends watch the movie every month, and I’ve met families who choose to watch it over It’s a Wonderful Life at Christmastime. I find that incredible.”

Like many film which find a later longevity, The Big Lebowski can definitely be categorised as a slow burner. Coming off the Oscar-winning success of Fargo two years earlier, the Coens abstract, sometimes surreal attempt at a neo-noir failed to initially connect with cinemagoers and performed poorly at the U.S. box office, receiving mixed reviews. It’s not the easiest sell, as Dowd acknowledges. “The film was problematic for an audience at first, sure. It doesn’t have a normal arc, or a three-act structure, and it has more of an existential atmosphere, particularly the ending. Upon second viewing, I think audiences really got it, as they weren’t going in there with any expectations. For me, it’s essentially a musical, and I think the reason why the movie is so appreciated is that it’s made up of some truly incredible sequences throughout. It’s like a good drug – you know you’re gonna feel better after you’ve watched it.”

Even though his days as a political activist are well behind him, Dowd is clearly someone who has a positive perspective on life and is still passionate about extolling those virtues. “Fans tell me they like the way The Dude tells it like it is. What they (the Coens) captured in the character is that rebellious side, and how he stands by his friends. In this time with the world how it is, and all the financial issues, we’re gonna need to stick together and one of the solutions is making sure we don’t lose sight of friends and family and making an effort to support one another.”

Not the most subtle of messages perhaps, but one we could all benefit in abiding by a little.

The Big Lebowski is on Blu-ray now.

You can check out Dowd’s own website, and a short film has also recently been made about him, called (unsurprisingly) The Dude.

Kevin Bacon (Super) has signed on to play the villain role in R.I.P.D.

Bacon will star opposite Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern) and Jeff Bridges (Tron: Legacy) in the Robert Schwentke-directed supernatural drama.

Based on the comic book series by Peter Lenkov, R.I.P.D. follows a cop killed in the line of duty who is recruited by a team of undead police officers working for the Rest in Peace Department.

Dark Horse Entertainment, Original Film and Dark Trick Films will co-produce and co-finance the film, with production expected to start later this year.

Source: Variety

To celebrate the release of True Grit on DVD & Blu-ray June 13th, Paramount Home Entertainment have given us five copies of the movie to give away on DVD as well as the official soundtrack and the paperback book to accompany the film. You can pre-order your copy of the film here or scroll down to win a copy.

True Grit is a powerful story of vengeance and valour set in an unforgiving and unpredictable frontier where justice is simple and mercy is rare. Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), is determined to avenge her father’s blood by capturing Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who shot and killed him for two pieces of gold. Just fourteen, she enlists the help of Rooster Cogburn (Academy Award® Winner Jeff Bridges), a one-eyed, trigger-happy U.S. Marshall with an affinity for drinking and hardened Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Academy Award Winner Matt Damon) to track the fleeing Chaney. Despite their differences, their ruthless determination leads them on a perilous adventure that can only have one outcome: retribution.

To be in with a chance of winning one of five copies of the movie and the other merchandise, simply answer the following question using the form below:

Who plays the character Rooster Cogburn in the 2010 version of True Grit?

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 13th June at 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

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

Roles in high-profile geek-centric films like Iron Man and Tron: Legacy must have proved to be an enjoyable experience for Jeff Bridges. The Wrap reports that the actor is now set to join Ryan Reynolds in comic book adaptation, R.I.P.D.

R.I.P.D. (Rest In Peace Department) is the tale of dead police officers who keep watch over the underworld. Reynolds plays a recently deceased cop who plans to take revenge on his murderer, and Bridges is taking over the role which Zack Galifianakis was hovering over of a veteran officer and partner to Reynolds.

German director Robert Schwentke is onboard, having recently scored big with action ensemble film, Red.

Following on from the likes of Jeff Bridges and (good sport) Alec Baldwin being immortalised in the world of Disney, Johnny Depp and the somewhat unlikely Patti Smith have now been subject to famed photographer Annie Leibovitz’s lens.

Unsurprisingly, Depp and Smith are both kitted out in Pirates of the Caribbean garb for this two page magazine spread, which is part of a series of images celebrating the studio’s icons (which in this case, originated in the form of a classic ride via the Disney theme parks).

Singer/songwriter Smith is actually nowhere to be seen in the POTC credits on IMDb, but given Depp’s power in Hollywood, he could probably invite any of his pals along to be included in the photo shoot.

Images via Disney Parks Blog

Michael Meredith’s The Open Road follows struggling minor league ball player Carlton Garrett (Justin Timberlake) as he receives the news that his mother Katherine (Mary Steenburgen) is having heart trouble and will need surgery as soon as possible in order to live. She, however, is refusing to sign the consent form to do so unless Carlton gets his estranged father, baseball legend Kyle Garrett (Jeff Bridges), to come see her before she goes in.

Carlton enlists his ex-girlfriend/current best friend Lucy (Kate Mara), whom he OBVIOUSLY still has strong feelings for, to join him in going to Ohio to find his father at an autograph signing event due to the legend being unreachable by phone. After the awkward initial encounter and a little convincing, they find themselves at the airport with Kyle conveniently missing his wallet, consequently beginning their journey to Houston, TX in a giant red Hummer instead.

Unfortunately, everything that happens beyond that is expected and cliched, and does little to create a memorable experience for the viewer. The dialogue is decent, and the music suits the mood and style of the film, but the story is unoriginal and you can accurately predict it’s entirety within the first 15 minutes.

The saving grace would be the excellent performances given by Jeff Bridges (True Grit, Tron), Mary Steenburgen (Stepbrothers, Back to the Future III) and Kate Mara (127 Hours), and although Justin Timberlake (The Social Network)  holds his own overall, it seems that he has strength in comedic performances yet falls short of being believable in the dramatic ones, making it hard to believe in the relationship between Carlton and Lucy.

The chemistry between Bridges and Steenburgen’s characters, however, is truly bittersweet and very well portrayed, and Mara shines as the sweet and caring Lucy. As far as the cinematography goes, I didn’t quite understand the purpose of opting for the grainy look every time a scene of the vehicle driving down the road took place, but I appreciated the framing and lighting throughout.

Overall, Michael Meridith didn’t do all he could to give his film that unique presence that so many independent filmmakers have done before him, and this coming after a similarly cliched Three Days of Rain makes me think he never will.

**½~~ (2.5/5)

A movie that never got released in the UK but is making it’s debut on DVD 2th April is that of Jeff Bridges and Justin Timberlake’s Open Road. The movie is being released by Lions Gate Home Entertainment who have been kind enough to give us three copies to give away on DVD.

Justin Timberlake (The Social Network) and Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart, True Grit) head up an all-star cast in a new, heart-warming comedy drama THE OPEN ROAD, out to own on DVD from 25^th April (RRP £12.99). Directed by Michael Meredith, this heart-warming and comedic road movie about a father and son on a journey also stars Kate Mara (127 Hours, Ironclad), Harry Dean Stanton (Alien, The Green Mile) and Mary Steenburgen (The Proposal, Back to the Future Part III).

When his mother is taken seriously ill, young Carlton Garrett (Timberlake) is faced with the challenge of fulfilling her wish to bring his estranged father (Bridges) to the hospital. Carlton and his friend Lucy (Mara) set off to Ohio to find his legendary professional athlete father, Kyle Garrett.

After much convincing, chasing and plenty of mischievous behaviour, the awkward threesome head for Houston in a rented car. As they drive South, both father and son are obliged to re-examine past misdeeds and maybe find a future together. THE OPEN ROAD is a charming road movie with fantastic performances from the two leads.

To be in with a chance of winning this movie on DVD, simply become a fan of the HeyUGuys Facebook Fanpage and answer the following question using the form below:

Who directed by Open Road?

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 25th April 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

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

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!

The forthcoming Tron: Legacy Blu-ray continues to be a spluttering fountain of teasers for the expected third film in the Tron series, Tron 3 (or Tr3N or Tron: Legacy: Legacy – if you must), which of course hasn’t been confirmed by Disney but doesn’t seem in any real doubt does it?

The first teaser video was a rather more substantial look at life after Tron: Legacy and this clip, uploaded by the same Anton Volkov who made friends at Disney with his last video, is a less showy affair but features the character Cillian Murphy played in the second film, that of Edward Dillinger Jr, and his father, played by David Warner, and hints at trouble ahead for Encom.

Both this and the last video are only really worth watching if you’ve seen the events of Tron: Legacy unfold, and if you’re looking forward to seeing more Tron then I suspect you’ll like what you see here.

The good people at Movie Viral found it first, here it is…

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)

Julianne Moore has been cast in Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Seventh Son.

Moore will star opposite Jeff Bridges (Tron: Legacy) in the adaptation of Joseph Delaney’s The Spook’s Apprentice, the first story in the fantasy-adventure series The Wardstone Chronicles.

The plot is centred around a 13-year-old farm boy named Tom who lives in the countryside of The County. As Tom is the seventh son of a seventh son he is able to see things others cannot, such as boggarts, ghasts, ghosts and others, which is traditional in The County.

Previous talk was of Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four) and Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) filling the roles of Tom and Alice respectively. But with Lawrence’s recent casting in The Hunger Games, and Pettyfer’s star rising, it seems likely the roles will go to another two up-and-coming stars.

Sergei Bodrov (Mongol) will direct from a screenplay by Max Borenstein.

Production is expected to begin in Vancouver this September.

Source: Bloody-Disgusting

This, we are reliably informed, is the first of two teasers for a third Tron film (or Tr3N if you must) and if you a fan of Tron and its legacy then you’ll simply eat this up.

FirstShowing lived up to their name and now we all have the chance to find out what happened after Tron: Legacy packed up and went home – and this is clearly the first strike in a coming campaign to get us excited for another Tron film despite Legacy looking pretty but offering nothing as substantial as plot or narrative excitement.

Promised as a Blu-ray/DVD extra, this video is pretty cool to watch, and if you read the description on the Youtube page then there are hints as to what the other DVD Easter Eggs will contain. There are hints here which would confirm a story we ran last year about the next Tron film. Breath baited, etc.

Here’s the vid,

Here’s a tasty bit of casting news to enliven an otherwise uneventful Friday afternoon, and don’t feel “Guilty” if it gets you excited too.

70’s music/movie megastar Barbra Streisand will star alongside modern-day slacker and member of the Apatow fraternity, Seth Rogen, in comedy My Mother’s Curse. The Yentl star has been cast as Rogen’s mother in the film, whom he takes on the road with him as his inventor character attempts to sell a new exciting creation.

Apart from appearances in both Meet The Fockers and Little Fockers, Streisand has been away from the big screen since the mid-90’s, when she directed and starred alongside Jeff Bridges in The Mirror Has Two Faces.

Directed by The Proposal’s Anne Fletcher, the film is set for release around this time next year.

News via Virgin Media

Here at HeyUGuys, we aim to provide you with an all-encompassing look into the world of film. Whether you’re a fully-fledged cineaste, or just possess a casual interest, there’s something for anyone with our alternative A-Z of cinema, which starts today and runs through the week.

If you’ve ever wondered just what it is an Executive Producer does, or maybe if you’ve heard the ambient sounds of Tangerine Dream in an 80’s film favourite without knowing who you were listening to, this is the list for you!

Here are the letters F-J…

Fat City (1972) is an American character-based drama film directed by John Huston, and star’s Stacy Keach, Susan Tyrrell and a young Jeff Bridges. The film is based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Leonard Gardner, who also wrote the screenplay. Tyrrell received an Oscar nomination for her role as Keach’s bitter, alcoholic, sometime partner.

Set in Stockton, California (and shot mostly on location there too) the film offers a sobering glimpse at broke, disillusioned working-class figures on the edge of society. Keach plays a boxer past his prime who meets a younger wannabe fighter (Bridges) whom he takes under his wing, which eventually inspires the older pugilist to attempt to get back into the ring himself.

Director John Huston (1906-1987) was a filmmaker who worked on a wide variety of material throughout his career, ranging from classic Hollywood fare like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The African Queen and The Maltese Falcon, to more grounded low-key, intimate pictures alongside the 70’s new wave like Fat City and 1979’s Wise Blood.

Gary Busey (1944 -) is an American actor who has appeared in over 120 films. He is arguably best known for two surfing-themed features, both two decades apart (1978’s Big Wednesday and 1991’s Point Break).

In 1988, Busey was severely injured in a motorcycle accident in which he was not wearing a helmet. At first thought to be minor, Busey’s brain injury was later diagnosed as having a greater effect on him than first realised, causing an affliction which makes the sufferer speak and act impulsively. As outlandish as this may seem, you only need to watch YouTube footage of Busey at any recent premiere or awards ceremony to see that there is something amiss.

Although he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 1978 for his role in The Buddy Holly Story, it’s been a case of diminishing returns for the last decade or so (where he’s cropped up in a number of cheap B-movies), although his surreal recurring cameo appearances on Entourage are frequently hilarious (no doubt exacerbated by his current mental state!).

Hollywood Walk of Fame (The). These popular tourist attractions can be found adorning a series of sidewalks along both sides of a 15-block segment of Hollywood Boulevard and a 3-block segment of Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Serving as a permanent public monument to the achievements of figures from the entertainment industry, there are over 2,400 tiled and brass-lined stars across a combined 1.7 miles of pavement.

The stars recognise an eclectic mix of actors, musicians, directors, producers, musical and theatrical groups and even popular fictitious characters, and are said to attract around ten million visitors annually.

Many of the more egocentric celebrities who possess a star there probably breathed a sigh of relief when a $4.2 million restoration of the Walk was initiated in 2008. This came about mainly due to the wear and tear suffered over the years – from minor cosmetic flaws to damage severe enough to pose a potential trip hazard for member of the public. At least 778 stars will eventually be repaired or replaced during the ongoing project.

Ichi the Killer (2001) is an adaptation of a popular manga comic which follows the hunt for a missing Yakuza boss by his fellow gang members, lead by the mutilated and masochist Kakihara (a visual precursor to Heath Ledger’s Joker). They cross paths with the mysterious Ichi, a shy and repressed soul with a dark childhood secret, whose alter-ego is a frighteningly effective psycho killer.

The film is very much in line with the Japanese horror (aka J-horror) from a decade or so back, and features liberal lashing of sexual violence and gore, all tied together with the most twisted comic book-inspired protagonist ever to grace screens.

Director by the tremendously prolific Takashi Miike (who at one point in the mid-noughties, was averaging four or five films a year!!) Ichi the Killer could be considered tame by his usual standards, but there is still enough here to entertain, disgust and enthrall in equal measure. A direct-to-video sequel and animated prequel followed a couple of years later.

Jerry Harvey (1949-1988) was the founder of the Z Channel, a US cable channel launched in the mid-seventies which was renowned for showing a wide range of eclectic and otherwise unobtainable film. It was also one of the first pay-to-view cable stations in America. Harvey was someone who ate, breathed and slept cinema, championing films which had been missed or largely ignored by the mainstream.

Coming across as a kind of cineaste groupie, he managed to befriend a number of his idols (including such luminaries as Sam Peckinpah and Robert Altman) before his personal life spiraled out of control, leading to tragic circumstances which resulted in Harvey shooting dead his second wife before turning the gun on himself.

A documentary about his life and accomplishments was made in 2004. Directed by John Cassavetes’ daughter, Alexandra, Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession features talking heads from contemporary filmmakers and fans of the long-defunct channel, including Jim Jarmusch, Alexander Payne and Quentin Tarantino.

Check out A-E here.

True Grit hit  UK cinemas yesterday and here we have an interview with the legend himself, Jeff Bridges! On Friday, we placed the interview with Hailee Steinfeld which you can see here. Both interviews are conducted by our fabulous friends at Upbeat.

True Grit stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper, Hailee Steinfeld and have a read of the synopsis below for more info.

Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross’s (Hailee Steinfeld) father has been shot in cold blood by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), and she is determined to bring him to justice. Enlisting the help of a trigger-happy, drunken U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), she sets out with him — over his objections — to hunt down Chaney. Her father’s blood demands that she pursue the criminal into Indian territory and find him before a Texas Ranger named LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) catches him and brings him back to Texas for the murder of another man.

You can check out our review of the movie here. If you’ve seen the movie, let us know what you think in the comments section below.

True Grit hits UK cinemas today and we’re rather excited about it! So excited in fact that we have an interview with both Hailee Steinfeld & Jeff Bridges from the movie. I’ve placed the Hailee Steinfeld interview below and the Jeff Bridges one should hit tomorrow at some point. Both interviews are conducted by our fabulous friends at Upbeat.

True Grit stars Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper, Hailee Steinfeld and have a read of the synopsis below for more info.

Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross’s (Hailee Steinfeld) father has been shot in cold blood by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), and she is determined to bring him to justice. Enlisting the help of a trigger-happy, drunken U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), she sets out with him — over his objections — to hunt down Chaney. Her father’s blood demands that she pursue the criminal into Indian territory and find him before a Texas Ranger named LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) catches him and brings him back to Texas for the murder of another man.

You can check out our review of the movie here and keep your eyes peeled for our Jeff Bridges interview tomorrow.