The Playlist

Casting: Nicolas Cage, Samuel L. Jackson, Jean Dujardin & More Sign Up For New Projects

By Kevin Jagernauth
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May 13, 2013 4:22 PM
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3 Comments

News

There's been a flurry of actors signing onto projects in recent days, with indie projects, tentpoles and European productions all in the mix, here's a quick rundown of who signed onto what.

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Casting: Robert De Niro Visits Stephen Gaghan’s ‘Candy Store’; Alicia Vikander Joins Alex Garland's Robot Thriller & More

By Edward Davis
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May 6, 2013 4:23 PM
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1 Comment

Robert De Niro, Alicia Vikander, Kristen Connolly

News

Writer/director Stephen Gaghan has given us the scripts to Steven Soderbergh’s “Traffic” "Rules of Engagement," and "The Alamo," but turned full-fledged filmmaker with 2005's excellent political drama, "Syriana." He hasn’t directed a film since, but not for want of trying. Gaghan’s been attached to several projects over the years, but for whatever reason, none of them have come to fruition. He may have struck gold with the cast of his his latest, “Candy Store.” The picture already stars “Zero Dark Thirty” star Jason Clarke and Omar Sy (“The Intouchables”), but his latest casting coup is even more impressive; Robert De Niro. The acting legend is joining the cast for a story about an undercover agent (Clarke) who begins a new life as beat cop in Brooklyn, but finds that his past life comes back to haunt him. De Niro plays a former cop who teams up with him to stop the threat that could endanger the city of New York. [Variety]

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Oscar Isaac & Domhnall Gleeson Boot Up Alex Garland's 'Ex Machina'; Felicity Jones & Alicia Vikander Eyed For Female Lead

By Kevin Jagernauth
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April 8, 2013 11:41 AM
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0 Comments

News

Making your first feature film is no easy task. Everything from the script to casting requires careful attention to detail, and meanwhile, you're looking to prove to yourself and others that you have what it takes to get the job done. However, if your name is Alex Garland, things are made slightly easier. The screenwriter behind "28 Days Later...," "Never Let Me Go" and "Dredd" has a CV that speaks for itself, and it's no surprise that he's getting some nice talent for his debut directorial effort "Ex Machina."

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'28 Days Later' & 'Dredd' Screenwriter Alex Garland To Make Directorial Debut With Sci-Fi 'Ex Machina'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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March 19, 2013 6:05 PM
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2 Comments

News

While reports of the supposed editing room battles between screenwriter Alex Garland and "Dredd" director Pete Travis made headlines, the pair downplayed those differences, but something must have happened. Whatever it was, Garland will now get to call his own shots, as the "28 Days Later" and "Never Let Me Go" writer is now getting ready to direct.

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Is The '28 Weeks Later' Sequel Dead? Writer Alex Garland Says There's No Plan For Another Film

By Kevin Jagernauth
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September 20, 2012 3:25 PM
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1 Comment

News

"I'd love to direct another one of it, actually," Danny Boyle said of the possibility of directing a sequel to "28 Weeks Later" nearly two years ago. But within that same week, he also said, "if it's a new idea and it's pretty good, it'll get made whether I direct it or not." And a lot of things have happened since then. Boyle has been very busy, directing a very well-received stage production of "Frankenstein," overseeing the spectacle of this summer's London Olympics and in case you forgot, he shot (and will soon be editing) the art heist thriller "Trance." It's probably pretty obvious given the fact almost all chatter around another installment of those zombie movies have died down, but frequent Boyle collaborator Alex Garland is here to confirm the undead will be staying dead.

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Watch: New Clip From 'Dredd' Introduces Us To Drug-Filled Housing Project Peach Trees

By Drew Taylor
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September 4, 2012 9:22 AM
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1 Comment

News

One of the more admirable aspects of "Dredd," the 3D sci-fi actioner set to be released at the end of the month (after it hits Midnight Madness at TIFF later this week) is how contained it is. It might be a dystopian extravaganza, but the story takes place in just one building – a huge, derelict housing project with the idyllic moniker of Peach Trees. When several murders occur in Peach Trees, the Judges (futuristic investigators given the power of judge, jury and executioner) are sent in. And in a new clip from Digital Spy (courtesy of Hey U Guys), we get to see the Judges (Karl Urban and Olivia Thirlby) enter Peach Trees. It's probably the calmest moment in the whole movie.

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Alex Garland Says ‘Dredd’ TV Show Would Be Best Follow-Up; Preview All 22 Tracks From Soundtrack Album

By Drew Taylor
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August 30, 2012 1:16 PM
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3 Comments

News

In a few weeks, “Dredd” (in 3D!) will be released in the United States (and even sooner in England). The movie got a rousing response at Comic-Con this summer and this writer politely disagrees with our review out of San Diego. It’s a dark, beautifully photographed (by frequent Lars von Trier and Danny Boyle collaborator Anthony Dod Mantle), outrageously violent sci-fi treat that will surprise a lot of people. And of course, anytime a comic book-based movie is worth its salt, talk inevitably turns to a sequel. And writer/producer Alex Garland has stepped up to field questions, hype the movie and discuss where further adventures of “Dredd” may go.

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Writer Alex Garland & Director Pete Travis Say Everything Is Fine With 'Dredd'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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October 11, 2011 2:00 AM
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0 Comments

Just a few days ago, the forthcoming reboot/new vision on "Dredd" became the subject of some ugly advance word. Reports surfaced that director Pete Travis was effectively being locked out of the editing bay, that reshoots were possibly in the works and most surprising of all, that writer Alex Garland ("Sunshine," "28 Days Later") was leading the charge behind the closed doors to get the film put together and was even going to see a co-director credit for his effort. The news was dispiriting for a film that promised fanboys an R-rated gritty take on the hero, but in a statement to 24 Frames released by Garland and Travis, they say everything is fine, without addressing any of the specifics surrounding the post-production of the movie at all:

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'Dredd' Director Pete Travis Locked Out Of Editing Room, Writer-Producer Alex Garland Takes Over

By Kevin Jagernauth
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October 7, 2011 4:45 AM
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4 Comments

It's never good news to hear when a director gets locked out of the editing bay, particularly when it comes to a big budget tentpole movie. While rumors of Stephen Sommers battling executives over "G.I. Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra" surfaced and were quickly scuttled, it didn't really matter because the movie made money and has spawned a sequel arriving next summer (though notably, without Sommers this time around). So whether or not this battle will have an effect on the movie creatively or otherwise, it does somewhat poison the well on perceptions of the film for the time being as fanboys will surely voice their concern (even if exact details are hard to come by just yet).

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Carl Rinsch Drops Out Of 'Logan's Run'; Directing '47 Ronin' With Keanu Reeves Instead

By The Playlist
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November 14, 2010 4:54 AM
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1 Comment

10 Million Screenwriters On 'Logan' Project Might Not Have Helped Its ChancesWhere do you know the name Cark Erik Rinsch? He was a commercias director and Ridley Scott protege that had made such an impression on Scott with his sci-fi short "The Gift" that the director originally wanted him to helm the upcoming "Alien" prequel (20th Century Fox balked and said the only way they were financing it was if Scott himself would helm, and he caved).

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