Currently playing in cinemas, Haywire is the latest film from the prolific and soon to be retired (allegedly) director Steven Soderbergh. I reviewed the film here and described it as smart, stylish and incredibly well crafted film. It is, but it’s also a rather interesting genre exercise from Soderbergh, in which he presents us with a particular kind of action film, his own somewhat unique take.

Key to Soderbergh achieving this is the film’s star, Gina Carano, a newcomer with a history in mixed martial arts. I was lucky enough to speak with her this week and we chatted about action films, Soderbergh, critiquing herself and one of the film’s actors lobbying for a sequel. Check out the interview in full below.

When you first met with Steven Sorderbergh I understand you had a very long lunch, what was it in particular that you talked about at that time?

We talked about my life and his life, films, fighting and family. It was a very relaxed kind of conversation between two people.

What sort of films did you mostly talk about?

He was talking about how in action movies he doesn’t like how they’re kind of unbelievable. Like when there’s a car chase, this person miraculously gets out of it by smashing into a bunch of cop cars and doing a whole bunch of crazy stuff. When in reality if that did happen they would get caught, right? So he was always like, what was the realistic way for a person to get away from the cops. He was talking about in action films what he wanted to see as opposed to what’s out there. More of a perspective on how things could actually happen.

He was kind of letting me know where he was coming from as far as making an action film with me.

Did he give any examples of specific action films that he did like?

He sent me a couple actually. He sent me La Femme Nikita, which I absolutely adored that movie. As far as some other ones he sent me; a couple of his movies, he sent me Bubble, The Girlfriend Experience, stuff that he’d directed to, I think, give me an idea of what kind of director he was.

What in the films of his did you see that you particularly liked? What drew you in?

I was always a fan. The one that always stuck in my mind was Traffic, when I saw that movie it was an impactful film. I just loved the way it was shot also. And Erin Brokovich and The Informant. They’re real life scenarios that you’re like, wow that’s a crazy story that probably normally I wouldn’t have been interested in but because it was directed so well, because it was put together so well, it was instantly interesting.

There are films there with strong female characters too, Erin Brokovich obviously, The Girlfriend Experience and in many ways Out of Sight too. Was the strong character of Mallory Kane something that really appealed to you?

Yeah, but he didn’t have a script written when I met him. He was just meeting with me to just see if I would be interested in doing a film with him. And he said there was no script, no studio attached to it, and then he went off and created Mallory Kane and Haywire with me in mind. But it’s kind of funny, he had me in mind but Mallory Kane ended up being the complete opposite kind of character as I am in my real life.

I know some actors don’t like watching themselves, have you seen the whole film now?

Yeah, I honestly didn’t want to see it because it was such a special time for me, making it. It was so close to my heart, everything single day on set. My grandfather and me won a state basketball tournament and we’ve never watched the video of it, because it lives in our hearts so we don’t need to see it. We’re scared that the score will change or something [laughs].

So, I saw the film a couple of months ago. I’ll probably watch it a couple of years from now but it was my first acting experience, I think I’ll let myself settle into that.

Obviously it’s quite common for fighters to watch back their fights, right?

Yeah, I always watch my fights and critique them. But when I was fighting I would get so much anxiety about fighting that I couldn’t watch other fights. It was definitely work to watch a fight, I felt everything. It was the same way with the film, I couldn’t watch any movies. Which meant I was on YouTube the whole time looking up things to make me laugh [laughs]. So, the only film I could watch was Public Enemies, with Johnny Depp in it, that was the only film that kind of relaxed me. So every night I just put that on and would just fall asleep.

I asked Steven, ‘Is this going to ruin movies for me forever? Because now I know how they’re made’ and he said, ‘No, no, not forever, it might give you more of an appreciation for it’. And sure enough finally, I guess five months later, I was like oh…

At the beginning when I tried to watch movies I caught everything – [pretends to sound exasperated] ‘Oh no, they’re ruined for life’ [laughs].

Have you watched many Muay Thai films, those with fighting styles similar to your own? Do you find yourself critiquing them?

Yeah, but I’m always a fan of the story and the dialogue though. It’s really refreshing when there is a nice fight scene. Ong Bak was one that visually, for a Muay Thai person, was good. I really enjoyed that, as far as watching him do all of his own stunts. The fight scenes were incredible.

And you did pretty much all of your own stunts in Haywire, is that right?

Yeah, I did have a stunt double for one fall but she was pretty much bored for the rest of the film [laughs]. I felt so bad for her, she had to show up every single day and be in the same clothes I did and I was doing everything. I mean, that was the whole reason I got the job, my physicality. But she was a delight and there were times, because she was an ex-gymnast, where I would be like, ‘how would you do something like this?’. And she would show me and I’d do it and so we collaborated. It was nice to have her, as far as having another female on set but I felt bad that she didn’t get to work as much. It might have been a nice refreshing vacation for her if she didn’t have to show up everyday.

What are your next plans and the end of Haywire does leave it a little open for sequel, was there any talk of that?

Well, Ewan McGregor’s so funny. He was like, ‘You know my character didn’t die.’ To Steven, ‘You know my character didn’t die. What could we do with this?’ I mean, Steven’s been talking about retiring for a long time. I don’t know if he’d be interested in doing a sequel. I think it would have had to have done really really well in the box office for him to have wanted to do a sequel.

I don’t know, I’d love to bring more of my physicality to films. I think that’s my niche right now. That was my first experience, I’m at the beginning now. I just need to get the right projects and really kind of learn, I guess.

And what was the hardest part of learning on set during Haywire?

I think just being vulnerable. It’s like when you first start fighting and you walk up to the mirror and you start shadowboxing and you feel like such a dork. You’re just punching air and you’re thinking is this how everyone else is doing it, because you don’t know anything. I think that‘s the same way when you start another career, you feel a bit funny at first and the more you learn about it you get more comfortable and understand how things work. I think being vulnerable and starting something new is probably the hardest thing in life. But I loved it and adored the whole experience and it was one of the best experiences of my life. So, of course Id love to do it a million time again.

The development in recent months of The Side Effects has been an interesting one that’s been great to follow so far. Penned by Scott Z. Burns, Steven Soderbergh’s collaborator on Contagion, the writer was set to return behind the camera to direct the project himself.

After Soderbergh passed on directing The Man From U.N.C.L.E., however, word soon came that he would be returning to work with Burns on The Side Effects, which seemed to have changed its name to The Bitter Pill, with Burns stepping down as director to allow Soderbergh on board.

So far, so good.

Then earlier this month, we got more brilliant news when word surfaced that Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Channing Tatum were all in talks to join the project in the three leading roles, taking up the three parts of the love-triangle (or love-angle, considering Law and Tatum don’t have a tie between them, but you know what I mean).

Collider have been looking at three separate and consecutive reports from Variety, Deadline, and then The Playlist, and it seems that the development of the project currently has a bit of a question mark over its head.

They note that Variety report that the film’s financers, Annapurna Pictures (Megan Ellison’s production company), have backed out of the project, throwing into question the involvement of the three stars in talks to join. However, Open Road signed on last week to distribute it in the States and partner with Annapurna, and according to an Open Road spokesman, the deal is still on:

“The Open Road deal to release the picture is in place.”

So that’s a bit of good news, even if Annapurna are pulling out. And Variety also refer to the project as ‘Side Effects’,  omitting the ‘The’, but that could be a simple case of contraction; obviously there are plenty of films beginning with ‘The’ that get referred to without.

Moving on, Deadline then released a report saying that Catherine Zeta-Jones was boarding the project too, that production for the $30m. film was scheduled to start in April in New York, and that Annapurna would be financing. This last point could well have been an assumption based on the original financing plans.

A report from The Playlist would seem to suggest so, backing up Variety’s report that Annapurna are backing out, saying that sources have told them that the reason for doing so was Lively’s involvement in the lead of

“a troubled young woman who develops a dangerous love triangle between her doctor (Law) and her newly paroled husband (Tatum).”

If that’s true, I personally think that’s really unfair, because Lively has been doing really well outside of Gossip Girl, and her role particularly in Ben Affleck’s The Town was well received.

The Playlist also note that Zeta-Jones would be playing another of the lead female’s doctors, and that despite Annapurna dropping out, the project is still looking to move forward soon and replace its financing without much trouble:

“[D]espite the setback, financing should be locked back into place shortly, foreign sales are already taken care of, and an April start date in New York City is still a go.”

That’s definitely good news in my books, because I’ve been looking forward to this quite a bit since news first emerged of it.

The Playlist note, however, that there remains a question of whether Lively will still want to be involved with the project once financing is newly secured, and note that sources have thrown up a few names in case she doesn’t, including Rooney Mara, Michelle Williams, Emily Blunt, and Imogen Poots. Personally, I’m hoping that Lively will remain on board, because I’d love to see her taking on more leading roles in feature films, particularly ones with great directors and opposite a great cast.

Essentially, it seems as though things are a little up in the air at the moment, but the last report certainly suggests that, if like me you’ve been looking forward to this, then you shouldn’t have too much to worry about. Soderbergh is naturally a very well-respected director, and hopefully he’ll be able to secure financing elsewhere soon.

The film is set to be his penultimate before he retires, at least temporarily, from filmmaking, with his summer shooting schedule set to be filled by his biopic of Liberace, with frequent collaborator Michael Douglas in the lead, and Matt Damon starring opposite him. Both these films should be a tremendous (hopefully temporary) end to what has been a brilliant career to date, and if he should choose to take his final bow with them, I think he’d have the satisfaction of burning out, not fading away. More news on (The) Side Effects/The Bitter Pill as we get it (which will hopefully be very soon, and hopefully be good news).

For our final look at the cast of Steven Soderbergh’s Punch Hard with a Vengeance action thriller Haywire we turn to the man with a rather special beard, Antonio Banderas.

Banderas is one of the many men in the film who betray CIA operative Mallory Kane, played by MMA star Gina Carano, and this means it’s only a matter of time before he’s on the business end of a face pummeling.

Craig reviewed the film and liked it a lot, and if you take a look at the last five days there’s clearly fun to be had here so if you fancy it high you to a cinema as the film is out right now.

All this week we’re bringing you a series of short video introductions to the cast of Haywire, Steven Soderbergh’s latest film which sees Gina Carano as a betrayed government operative on the run, pausing only to kick arse without even bothering to take names.

The film was out in the UK yesterday and Craig reviewed the film for us here. He liked it, which is nice.

Today we show favour to Mr. Channing Tatum, who will be reuniting with Soderbergh for stripperama Magic Mike, and if you’ve seen any of the trailers or extended clips from Haywire you’ll know how he fares in fisticuffs with Carano’s rogue agent.

Here’s your video,

Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire is out in UK cinemas today and all this week we’re running short clips introducing the various members of the cast.

Front and centre today is Gina Carano, the MMA fighter Soderbergh chose to lead his face-punching revenge thriller, and she’s in good company with Michaels Fassbender and Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum and Antonio Banderas all joining in with the fun.

Craig reviewed the film for us here, and he highlighted Carano’s performance, not least the action sequences, which her training would naturally lend herself to, but also in the more nuanced moments of the film.

Here’s the video,

All this week we’re taking a look at the cast of Steven Soderbergh’s new action flick Haywire and it’s the turn of Perth’s finest son Ewan McGregor to step up and avoid a beating.

Gina Carano enjoys a leading role in Soderbergh’s film which centres around her rogue government operative who is being hunted after all manner of assassin stuff goes wrong.*

McGregor plays Kenneth, an unassuming name for a man who trains hired professional killers, and this short video places him right in the line of Carano’s fire when he betrays her.

If you want to know what all the fuss is about, check out Craig’s review on the site here. Haywire is released on the 18th of January.

Here’s your video.

*not official plot synopsis, but it’ll serve.

This week Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire thrusts itself into UK cinemas and every day we’ll be focusing on one of the characters in the film to get you up to speed with who is hitting who.

Soderbergh has, naturally, attracted a formidable cast for the film with newcomer Gina Carano leading his tale of a covert government operative who turns rogue when she finds out her ex-employers are cleaning up their activities and hunting her.

Today’s video focuses on Michael Fassbender, who has a short and violent relationship with Carano – the video does have spoilers but it’s worth a watch just to see Fassbender and Carano get tangled up in a hotel room.

Craig’s review is on the site here, and you can see the video below. Haywire is released on the 18th of January.

We got our first official look at Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming Magic Mike just before the end of last year, which saw a topless and patriotic Matthew McConaughey on the stripping stage alongside Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer.

The film is based on Tatum’s own experiences, and will also star Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Munn, Adam Rodriguez, Riley Keough, Cody Horn, and Kevin Nash (professional wrestler/actor), and marks the writing debut of Reid Carolin.

We’ve now got two new images from the film to share, courtesy of EW via Collider, which show Tatum, Pettyfer, and Bomer suited (and presumably booted), but somewhat lacking in the shirt area. So essentially, collars and (bow)ties, and then nothing ’til the waist area.

It’s the second time in a row that the rising young actor will be working with Soderbergh, and we’ll be getting to see their first pairing on Haywire in exactly one week, with that film hitting the UK cinemas on 18th January.

“Set in the world of male strippers, “Magic Mike” is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum (“Dear John,” “Step Up”) in a story inspired by his real life. The film follows Mike (Tatum) as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money.”

Magic Mike is set to be released in the US on 29th June, but it’s yet to get a UK release scheduled. I’d imagine that it’s just a matter of time though, and hopefully we’ll be able to bring you news of its UK release soon. I think this is going to be great.

And to top things off, if you’re a fan of either/both Tatum and Soderbergh, you’ll also be pleased to know that news surfaced just yesterday that the actor is close to closing talks to star on the next film Soderbergh’s directing, The Side Effects, alongside Blake Lively and Jude Law.

When Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh exited the director’s chair on Warner Bros.’ upcoming The Man From U.N.C.L.E. back in November, this news was swiftly followed up by word that he would instead be filling his spring schedule this year with The Side Effects, penned by his Contagion and The Informant! scribe, Scott Z. Burns.

Casting on the project has been underway since the end of last year, and it looks as though we’re getting close to confirming the leading roles. The Playlist report that, whilst nothing’s official yet, Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Channing Tatum are all close to finalising their deals to lead the film, which I think sounds brilliant.

Lively, best known for her role as Serena van der Woodsen on The CW’s Gossip Girl, will be starring in the lead as Emily Watkins,

“a woman who turns to prescription meds to cope with the anxiety of the upcoming release from prison of her husband.”

Tatum, who’s worked with Soderbergh on the director’s next two films (Haywire and Magic Mike), will be playing the role of the husband, whilst Law will be playing Lively’s new psychiatrist, having loved working with Soderbergh on his last film, Contagion.

Though some might perhaps be sceptical of Lively in the film’s lead – I’m aware that not everyone enjoys Gossip Girl – I’d recommend you reconsider her roles in films like The Town and Green Lantern, which demonstrate that she’s more than proven her significant talents on the big screen. Along with Reynolds, of course, I thought Lively was pretty much the only saving grace of what should have been a brilliant superhero film last year.

Soderbergh announced early last year that he would be retiring from directing, at least temporarily (I’m hoping it’ll be a hiatus/short break), after making two more films – The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and his Liberace biopic. The Side Effects will be replacing the former, with plans to start shooting in April, before Soderbergh moves on to the latter later this year.

The director’s next film, Haywire, is due in cinemas in just over a week, released next Friday on 18th January, and you can catch up on all our coverage of Haywire right here. It looks like it’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait, for all of his four upcoming films. This new news of Lively, Law, and Tatum in the leads on The Side Effects sounds so good.

You may choose to see the first five minutes of Steven Soderbergh’s latest film with the other eighty-eight when the film is released on the 18th of January but those of you who want to see Gina Carano pummeling Channing Tatum early – this is the video for you.

Craig gave the film an excellent review on the site and he highlighted the scene comprised of Carano and Michael Fassbender in a hotel room which has been shown in many of the trailers and the opening five minutes shown here have a similar feel with the impact of the action greatly enhanced by the soundtrack choices made.

Hulu had this video,

Matt Damon is undoubtedly an uncommonly accomplished man. An Oscar-winning writer (whatever you might make of the theories pertaining to William Goldman’s involvement with Good Will Hunting), a lauded actor, a very gifted impressionist and comedian and it looked like he was going to add “director” to that impressive list.

Damon had his eye on directing an untitled project about two rival executives, which he had co-written with John Krasinski, but for a variety of reasons he felt he needed to step down from that particular role. He is said to still be in line to star (alongside Krasinski) and of course he hasn’t un-written it, so his involvement remains significant. Reports abound that with his filming duties for Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium over-running and various other irons in the fire, he did not feel able to take on directing the film as well.

Steven Soderbergh had looked like a viable option for stepping in, but he has his roster full as well, though another director with whom Damon has plenty of history may be on board now, in the shape of Gus Vant Sant. Van Sant of course directed Matt Damon to an Oscar nomination in Good Will Hunting and also directed the off-beat film Gerry, which Damon starred in and co-wrote.

As is perennially the case, there is no firm word on this, just confirmation of discussions and deliberations. Shooting had been pencilled in for March 2012 onwards, which gives a reasonable amount of run in time, but Van Sant may want or need more pre-production if he is to take up the reins. In the meantime, we will have to wait and see whether Damon can match the directing chops of his friend and Good Will Hunting alumnus Ben Affleck, who after a few years in the wilderness has hit his groove with Gone Baby Gone and The Town. Watch this space.

The source of all this? Indie Wire.

Into a quiet diner walks Mallory Kane (Gina Carano). Following shortly behind her is Aaron (Channing Tatum). Mallory is quick to see him arrive and we get the impression instantly that Mallory is a hyper alert character, Carano conveying this through small physical inflections. Aaron and Mallory clearly have history and as the two begin to talk it is clear that Aaron wants her to leave with him but Mallory’s not interested. The situation quickly escalates beyond this almost light hearted argument into the two having a full blown physical fight.

The fight is brutal, faces are pounded and bones crunch, but it’s also beautifully choreographed, expertly performed and shot and edited with the utmost skill and scalpel-like precision. Using a number of different set-ups Soderbergh, editing the film under one of his usual aliases, cuts between them with enough speed to ensure the sequence is dynamic but slow enough to ensure one’s eyes take in all the necessary information.

The scene is something of a masterclass in the way in which action can be shot and edited, and it doesn’t hurt that Carano, the star of the scene and the film, is an accomplished MMA fighter.

Mallory is a covert operative employed by an agency whose client book includes the US government. The agency frequently carry out jobs that the government would rather not get their hands dirty doing themselves and Mallory quickly comes to the government’s attention. Prior to their confrontation in the diner Aaron and Mallory worked together on a hostage rescue in Barcelona, work that their handler Kenneth (Ewan McGregor) won from US government employer Coblenz (Michael Douglas). Since the mission a lot has changed though, Mallory has ‘gone rogue’ and her former employers are hot on her heels. Following her escape from Aaron, Mallory steals a car, taking its owner Scott (Michael Angarano) hostage. She then begins to tell Scott all the details that led her to where she is now and the film shifts into a series of flashbacks that make up the bulk of the film.

The script, penned by Lem Dobbs (The Limey), is economical enough to ensure that the film, which is at its heart a fast-paced action thriller, never gets bogged down in overly complex plotting but it’s also intricate enough to keep one interested and invested in what is transpiring. Various puzzle pieces slowly fall into place and as the full picture is revealed there are twists and turns but no huge surprises. As we gradually learn what has occurred though we are slowly pulled closer and closer to Mallory’s character, investing more in her plight as we do so.

Carano’s performance as Mallory, her first major role, is highly commendable and whilst she brings all that is needed to the stunning action sequences it is in some of the more subtle moments that she really impresses. A cracked smile or quizzical eyebrow at the right moment is enough to communicate everything we need to know and feel and the film is filled with silent communicative moments that work extraordinarily well both on a character and story level.

Carano is also surrounded by a number of excellent actors in supporting roles, including, in addition to those already mention;  Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas, Mathieu Kassovitz and the ever reliable Michael Fassbender.

The fight in a hotel room between Carano and Fassbender, which has been at the centre of the film’s marketing, is truly extraordinary and a high point amidst a number of excellent physical sequences. Their relationship, two spies thrown together and made to play at being a couple, makes for some interesting and playful interplay between the two but there is more going on beneath the surface. Haywire is filled with subtle genre twists, evidence that Dobbs and Soderbergh are having fun subverting expectations somewhat, and the way in which the film’s script deals with the gender of the lead character is also more densely interesting than it may first appear.

When Kenneth (McGregor) comments “Don’t think of her as a woman, that would be a mistake.” the dialogue is making explicit an area for discussion that runs throughout Haywire. Carano is, for instance, as forceful beating Aaron to the ground as she is when she pulls him towards her and kisses him in a flashback to Barcelona. She’s in charge and dominant.
Mallory is not a simple ass-kicking alpha female though, a common archetype that is so often just a male stereotype in the skin of a female action hero, and there are crucial moments when her fragility and emotional range is evident. She is hurt at times, both emotionally and physically, revealing a more complex and truer depth to her character. Haywire is not a heavy-handed essay piece though, it’s a super slick action movie which is just thankfully as intelligently thought out as it is entertaining.

Smart, stylish and incredibly well crafted, Haywire is as ludicrously pleasing to the eye as the best of Soderbergh’s recent work and even if you don’t engage with the intriguing thematic subtext the film is a thrilling and riveting action spectacle with plenty of jaw-dropping action set pieces.

Haywire is released in UK cinemas on the 18th of January.

****~ (4/5)

There’s nothing quite like a bit of quality violence to shake the early morning from your bones, and this new trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire is just the ticket.

In truth this new peek starts out in a similar fashion to the first trailer we saw – people meet, they hit, then all hell breaks loose, but as with most Soderbergh films there’s an excellent cast backing this one this.

Gina Carano leads the film and has Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum and Michael Fassbender along for the ride, and be warned there are some very quick moments in the trailer which do reveal the fates of some.

Eyes down to be hit with a synopsis,

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Here’s your trailer,

Today we give thanks to Crave, for ’twas there who gave us this.

Oscar-winning writer-director Steven Soderbergh has potentially four films left for us to look forward to before he takes an early retirement – what will hopefully prove to be a temporary hiatus. We’ll be getting the first of those, Haywire, in January, and then we can look forward to seeing the world of male strippers on the big screen in the summer when the second of his four upcoming films is released, Magic Mike, both of which have the rising star Channing Tatum.

As far as I’m concerned, a Soderbergh film is always going to be something that you take a trip to the cinema to see, and Haywire is going to be amazing next month. Looking beyond that, we’ve now got the first image that’s been released for his second film of the new year, via Collider, and it gives us a look at the tank top-clad Tatum and the shirtless Matthew McConaughey, right in the middle of the male-stripping act.

The film’s been written by Reid Carolin, who worked with Tatum on his last film, Ten Year, and is based on Tatum’s own past experiences, focusing on a young male stripper (Alex Pettyfer) who learns the ropes from a vertern (Tatum).

Along with Tatum, McConaughey, and Pettyfer, the film also stars Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Munn, Adam Rodriguez, Riley Keough, Cody Horn, and Kevin Nash (the actor/professional wrestler).

Soderbergh fans will be pleased to know that although he’s officially exited The Man From U.N.C.L.E. for Warner Bros., he’s set to re-team with his Contagion writer Scott Z. Burns for his next film, shooting in the spring, titled The Bitter Pill.

Magic Mike is just one of (at least) five films that we’ll be seeing Tatum in next year, so 2012 is definitely set to be a busy one, with Haywire being the first off the bat on 18^th January. We’ll then be seeing him in The Vow in February,21 Jump Street in March (which looks like a lot of fun), G.I. Joe: Retaliation in June, and then hopefully Magic Mike in June as well. The film’s yet to get aUK release date scheduled, but with a bit of luck, that’ll just be a matter of time. Without further ado, here’s our first look at the cast dressed (or not so much) as male strippers. As usual, click to enlarge.

Haywire looks splendid. Check out all of the trailers, clips and other content we’ve assembled for you here and then come back and see the latest poster for Steven Soderbergh’s latest offering, which employs genuine ass-kicking MMA star Gina Carano as a betrayed government agent, fighting for her life as all and sundry come for her. As far as we can tell so far, all and sundry get kicked in the head quite a lot.

The latest poster goes for the moody monochrome look, with everyone except Carano going for the glowering, frowning, furrowed, intense look. For my money, Bill Paxton wins the line up, though there are strong entries from Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas.

Haywire will be punching its way onto screens in the UK on 18th January 2012 and in the US a couple of days later (yay for the UK!). Until then, enjoy the lovely line up below, courtesy of lovely types as IMPA.

One of the highlights of this Summer’s Big Screen event was the screening of a scene from Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire. It featured lead actress Gina Carano and Man of the Year Michael Fassbender going at it after a romantic dinner in a hotel. The difference is that the ‘it’ I mean and the ‘it’ you’re thinking of are very different things.

The scene was very powerful, and did a lot to set up expectations for the film which opens in the UK on the 18th of January. We’ve heard some very good things about it and today we’ve got an exclusive image from the film below.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum​​, Michael Fassbender​​, Ewan McGregor​​, Michael Angarano​​, Antonio Banderas​​, Michael Douglas​​, Gina Carano​​ and Bill Paxton​​.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer​​), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love​​”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous​​ ); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Heading up the gallery below is the exclusive image,

After Steven Soderbergh exited The Man From U.N.C.L.E. last month due to budgetary and casting difficulties, Warner Bros. were naturally keen to fill the director’s chair with a big name in his place, and it looks like they’re making their move.

Deadline report that Guy Ritchie and his new production partner Lionel Wigram are in talks to board the project as producers, with Ritchie now intended to take Soderbergh’s role behind the camera too.

The pair have worked together on both of Ritchie’s last two projects, Sherlock Holmes and its (just-about-to-be-released) sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and are now setting up their own production company, with The Man From U.N.C.L.E. set to be the first project for the new shingle.

The film already has a script in place from Soderbergh’s recently frequent collaborator, Scott Z. Burns (Contagion), so hopefully Ritchie can get moving on this pretty soon. Casting has been a problem so far, with George Clooney originally intended for the role. When back injuries ruled him out, given the action necessitated by the script, quite a few names surfaced as his replacement, noticeably with a younger skew, including Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, Joel Edgerton, Michael Fassbender, and most recently, Channing Tatum.

Whether Ritchie and Wigram’s casting list will be starting from scratch or will begin with some of these names remains to be seen, but I’m definitely looking forward to hearing about who’ll be taking the leads on this. Production was originally scheduled to begin in the spring, and though there’s no word yet if that’s still the case, I’m hoping the change in direction won’t cause any delays.

Though Ritchie’s involvement as director isn’t yet set in stone, I’m hoping that it’s only a matter of time before the deal is made for him to also take the helm on this alongside producing, because I think he’d do a great job of it. I’m a huge Ritchie fan – aren’t we all? – and I’d love to see him take on this sixties-set action/thriller. I’m also still waiting for the day when we get news on the long-awaited RocknRolla sequel, but I have a feeling that’s more of an ‘if’ than a ‘when’. Time will tell.

Either way, Warner Bros. are clearly firmly demonstrating with this move that they’ve got a lot of faith in the project, and hopefully we’ll be able to bring you more news on the producers’ talks soon; with any luck, that news will include Ritchie making a deal to direct too.

Ritchie’s latest film, Sherlock Holmes: A game of Shadows, will be hitting the big screen next Friday, on 16th December, and that’s definitely something to look forward to too. It’s going to be immense.

Here’s the first UK poster for Steven Soderbergh’s new movie, Haywire. The movie looks absolutely fabulous in all the trailers we’ve seen and I cannot wait to see it. It hits UK cinemas 12th January so not too long to wait! If you missed the trailer for it, have a little look here and let us know if you’re looking forward to it in the comments below.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum​, Michael Fassbender​, Ewan McGregor​, Michael Angarano​, Antonio Banderas​, Michael Douglas​, Gina Carano​ and Bill Paxton​.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer​), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love​”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous​); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Haywire hits UK cinemas 12th January.

Click the poster to enlarge.

Source: Empire

Earlier this month, we got the news that Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s Eleven) had exited the upcoming film adaptation of the 1960s TV show, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The project had found it increasingly difficult to get its leading cast, and with Soderbergh dedicated to his current pre-retirement schedule, he decided that it would be a much safer bet to fill his schedule before his final film, the Liberace biopic, Behind the Candelabra, with something other than U.N.C.L.E.

The Playlist are now reporting that Soderbergh has found that replacement film in the form of the Scott Z. Burns-scripted psychological thriller, The Bitter Pill, originally titled The Side Effects.

Burns was originally intending to direct the project himself, when we heard about it back in September, but it looks like his recently frequent collaborator Soderbergh is going to helm the film instead. The pair have worked together before on The Informant! and this year’s Contagion, and The Bitter Pill sounds like it’s going to be a brilliant penultimate film for Soderbergh to direct.

Official plot details are still under wraps, but when Burns was talking about the project a couple of months ago, he said of it,

“It deals with people and their moods. It’s about how we as a society can’t tolerate sadness and what that makes us vulnerable to… It’s definitely got a twist… It’s a story where it’s like if someone were listening to the conversation you and I were having and thought ‘Hmmm, if that’s the way that society is working how can I manipulate that, how can I use that?’ And that’s what the movie’s about.”

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like it has great potential to me. And with Burns and Soderbergh re-teaming for this one, it should be brilliant. Casting had been scheduled to begin very soon with Burns behind the camera, and hopefully that will stay the same with Soderbergh taking the helm in his place.

Since the director is planning on getting to work on his Liberace film, which is thought to be his final film after he announced his retirement earlier this year (I’m hoping it will be more of a hiatus than a permanent retirement), movement on The Bitter Pill should be getting underway pretty quickly now, which is nothing but good news. Filming will no doubt commence early next year, and I’m already excited about this coming to the big screen. It sounds like it’s going to be awesome.

After what has been a long and difficult search for the leading stars of the planned film adaptation of the ’60s TV show, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Steven Soderbergh has decided to bow out from the project, The Playlist report, leaving the director’s chair now open.

Soderbergh and his fellow Contagion writer, Scott Z. Burns, had been working with Warner Bros. on the project since early last year. But after George Clooney, who had been set to star as the American lead, had to withdraw because of back problems stopping him from doing the stunts necessary for the film, the casting quickly became a problem.

Numerous big names have been talked about for the leads since Clooney’s exit, including Matt Damon, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Joel Edgerton, and most recently Channing Tatum (with whom Soderbergh has been working with on Magic Mike), but nothing seems to have stuck.

This week, the studio gave Soderbergh their budget proposal for the film around the $60m., which the director felt wouldn’t be enough given the scope of the film, set in the ’60s, across four continents, with the plan to have it be the first in a potential franchise. Thus, with the intended March production date getting closer, he decided that it would be better for him to simply move on, which I think is fair enough.

Back in March, Soderbergh announced his intentions to retire from filmmaking after making two more films, which at the time were The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and his Liberace biopic, Behind The Candelabra, after his upcoming Haywire and Magic Mike, along with the recently released Contagion. With the latter Liberace film set to be shot next summer, which Soderbergh is both committed to making (and its brilliant cast includes Matt Damon and Michael Douglas in the leads) and committed to making his last film (at least for the time being), moving on from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. sounds like a solid move for him, granting him some time to fill the slot left in his calendar with another movie in its place.

Contagion has been pretty widely successful, more than doubling its $60m. budget, and Haywire, due out here on 20th January, is set to be another awesome film from the Oscar-winning director (you can catch the most recent trailer here). Since Soderbergh is planning at least a temporary withdrawal from directing, it makes sense to only focus on projects he really wants to be making, and if The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has stopped being that for him, then moving on to find something else in its place sounds good in my books. I’m hoping it won’t be long until we hear what his plans are for early next year, because I’m eager to get behind any and all Soderbergh projects whilst we still can. As always, more news as and when we get it.