Bryan Singer To Return To X-Men
Bryan Singer (”The Usual Suspects,” “X-Men,” “X2,” “Valkyrie“) has admitted that he would like to make more X-Men films.
The Hollywood Reporter talked with Singer, who worked on the first two movies in the series, “X-Men” (2000), “X2″ (2003), about return to the big screen X-Men franchise that he created.
“I’m still looking to possibly return to the X-Men franchise,” he said. “I’ve been talking to Fox about it. I love Hugh Jackman. I love the cast.”
Singer added that he likes working on science fiction films because they teach the audience about mankind.
“[I like to] trick audiences into thinking they’re seeing fireworks, but they’re learning about themselves and listening to what I have to say,” he explained. “The excitement about working in science fiction and fantasy is… the stories, if they are good, are about the human condition.”
“I’d “love to return to that universe,” meaning the comic book universe, Singer added.
Singer was recently confirmed as the director of upcoming film “Jack The Giant Killer” and “Excalibur.”
Bryan Singer Directing Jack The Giant Killer
According to HeatVision Blog, Bryan Singer (Superman Returns, Valkyrie) has signed on to direct “Jack the Giant Killer,” the fantasy adventure from Legendary Pictures and New Line.
Penned by Mark Bomback (Deception, Live Free or Die Hard) and Darren Lemke (Lost (2004)) while Neal Moritz is producing via his Original Film banner. David Dobkin will co-produce alongside Legendary’s Jon Jashni and Alex Garcia.
“Jack the Giant Killer” is set in motion when a princess is kidnapped, threatening a long-standing peace between men and giants. A young farmer is given an opportunity to lead a dangerous expedition to the giants’ kingdom in hopes of rescuing her.
Apparently the film is being fast-tracked so it will mostly likely be Singer’s next movie. “Battlestar Gallactica” and remake of “Excalibur” (1981) will have to wait.
Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg In Micky Ward Biopic The Fighter
Earlier this month, we wrote that Christian Bale would join Mark Wahlberg in Bryan Singer’s thriller “Prisoners.”
Now, Christian Bale and director David O. Russell are set to join Mark Wahlberg in “The Fighter.” So, this is the second project that Bale and Wahlberg are planning to star in together.
“The Fighter” tells the true story of Boston fighter “Irish” Micky Ward and how he was helped to the world lightweight championship by half-brother and his trainer Dicky Ecklund.
Ecklund was a journeyman fighter who sent Sugar Ray Leonard to the canvas in 1978. His career was derailed by drug addiction and a prison sentence. Upon his release, he convinced his younger brother, Ward – who had retired from boxing at 26 after losing four straight – to get back in the ring. Under Ecklund’s tutelage, Ward won the WBU Light Welterweight title and engaged in one of the greatest fight trilogies in history with Arturo Gatti.
Wahlberg will play Ward, a fighter who was losing bouts and was ready to hang up the gloves when his brother came back into his life.
Bale will play Ecklund, whose drugs and robbery spree drew him a 10- to 15-year sentence in state prison. There, he kicked drugs, became a model prisoner and emerged as a changed man who helped his brother reach the glory that eluded him.
Over the past few years, “The Fighter” has drawn some of Hollywood’s biggest names. The project first came Wahlberg and Matt Damon (as Micky Ward’s older brother, Dickie Ecklund) toplining for director Darren Aronofsky. Damon dropped out and Brad Pitt was poised to replace him, but the picture still stalled. Then Aronofsky moved on.
Production is expected to begin production in July, 2009.
Christian Bale Joins Prisoners?
Mark Wahlberg, Bryan Singer and now Christian Bale has attached himself to star in the upcoming thriller “Prisoners” written by newcomer Aaron Guzikowski.
Wahlberg has been on the project from the beginning. Singer said that he want’s to direct the film, but he is not officially attached and neither is Christian Bale.
THR’s Risky Biz Blog has read Aaron Guzikowski’s script, and breaks down the main plot:
After his 6-year-old daughter and her friend are kidnapped, a small-town carpenter butts heads with a young, brash detective in charge of the investigation. The father is a Bible-reading, deer-hunting survivalist. The cop, meanwhile, can’t wait to get to the city. Feeling failed by the law, the father captures the man he believes responsible and begins to torture him in a desperate attempt to find out what he did with the girls, whom he’s convinced are still alive.
“That’s the basic setup. There’s a lot more there, but we won’t spoil it except to say the two leads have great arcs and the supporting players, especially the mothers, have juicy parts. The script is dark — Disney ain’t touchin’ this one — and a real page-turner.” [THR]
It’s already a solid that Wahlberg will be playing the dad, and THR seems to be indicating that Bale is up for the brash cop role.
So far the project hasn’t been sold to any Studios because Endeavor is holding off until a director is attached.
Valkyrie First Six Minutes
United Artists have unveiled the first six minutes from the Bryan Singer’s “Valkyrie,” probably to get more people to go see it. Check out the clip below.
In the movie, Cruise plays Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime and end the war by planting a bomb in Hitler’s bunker. The “July 20 Plot” on Hitler’s life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War Two. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, the complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler’s once he is dead. But fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg from one of many in the plot to a double-edged central role. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation’s government… He must kill Hitler himself.
Bryan Singer On Valkyrie & Brand New Poster
Check out one more photo and new poster for Bryan Singer’s “Valkyrie” starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, David Bamber, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Eddie Izzard and Terrence Stamp which features Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and David Bamber as Adolf Hitler.
Bryan Singer, the director of “The Usual Suspects” and “X-Men” agreed to speak with MTV News for one of his first interviews since completing the film.
MTV: Is “Valkyrie” done?
Bryan Singer: The film is done! I looked at the first completed film print. That was pretty much the final process for “Valkyrie,” or so I’ve been led to believe. [Laughs.]
MTV: It’s been a long road for this one, with a lot of shuffling of release dates. Are you happy with where you ended up?
Singer: Ultimately, it was the right decision. By the time the release date moved up to Christmas, I was already on track to finish it. It all worked out probably the way it should have from the very beginning.
Tom Cruise Laughable in “Valkyrie”
MSNBC’s The Scoop and New York Times has some very unsettling reactions to a “Valkyrie” screening. The thriller, directed by Bryan Singer, sees Tom Cruise’s Claus Von Stauffenberg attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany during WWII.
According to people from the test audience the film is far from being a thriller. But reportedly worse seems to be Tom Cruise’s performance as Claus Von Stauffenberg even going as far as saying his performance elicits inappropriate laughs.
MSNBC quotes various reports:
A scene where Cruise’s character, Claus Von Stauffenberg, is forced to give the infamous “Heil Hitler” salute. “It’s an unsettling scene but you almost start to laugh,” the source says. “His character is resisting it but you never forget it’s Tom Cruise saying ‘Heil Hitler.’ It’s funny and shocking at the same time.”
Another described a scene where Cruise’s character removes a false eye.
“It was disgusting,” said another who saw the film. “It was like watching someone pluck their contacts out. The film just isn’t a thriller at all. It’s a bunch of white guys in Nazi uniforms. It’s too bad. And Tom doesn’t speak with a German accent, though they did add a voice-over of him speaking German to the beginning of the film. Still, it’s as if he could say ‘I complete you’ at any time. This is not his Oscar moment.”
Is it possible Valkyrie is still the steaming pile we thought it once was? Will Tom Cruise have the worst movie with a coveted pre-Oscar release date?
“Valkyrie” opens to theaters on December 26th.
New “Valkyrie” International Poster
The international poster for director Bryan Singer’s (Superman Returns, Usual Suspects) upcoming historical thriller “Valkyrie” is now online featuring a shot of the lead characters.
Tom Cruise heads an international cast as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime and end the war by planting a bomb in Hitler’s bunker. The “July 20 Plot” on Hitler’s life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War Two. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, the complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler’s once he is dead. But fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg from one of many in the plot to a double-edged central role. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation’s government… He must kill Hitler himself.
Valkyrie is produced by Bryan Singer, Christopher McQuarrie and Gilbert Adler. McQuarrie co-wrote the original screenplay with Nathan Alexander who also serves as co-producer. The executive producers are Chris Lee, Ken Kamins, Daniel M. Snyder, Dwight C. Schar and Mark Shapiro.
“Valkyrie” also starring Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Kenneth Branagh and Patrick Wilson and is scheduled to hit theaters on December 26th. Continue Reading…
Final Valkyrie Trailer and International Poster
The final trailer and international poster for director Bryan Singer’s upcoming historical thriller “Valkyrie” is now online showing scenes about a daring plan to kill Adolph Hitler.
Tom Cruise heads an international cast as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime and end the war by planting a bomb in Hitler’s bunker. The “July 20 Plot” on Hitler’s life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War Two. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, the complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler’s once he is dead. But fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg from one of many in the plot to a double-edged central role. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation’s government… He must kill Hitler himself.
“Valkyrie” opens to theaters on December 26th. Continue Reading…
Four New Photos From “Valkyrie”
United Artists has just sent over four new photos from the Bryan Singer-directed “Valkyrie“, starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Patrick Wilson, Stephen Fry, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten, Eddie Izzard, Halina Reijn, Kevin McNally, Christian Berkel, Terence Stamp and David Schofield.
In a country in the grips of evil, in a police state where every move is being watched, in a world where justice and honor have been subverted, a group of men hidden inside the highest reaches of power decide to take action. Tom Cruise stars in the suspense film, VALKYRIE, based on the true story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (CRUISE) and the daring and ingenious plot to eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known. Director Bryan Singer (THE USUAL SUSPECTS, X-MEN, SUPERMAN RETURNS) re-teams with Academy Award®-winning Usual SuspectsSUAL SUSPECTS screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie to bring to life the story of the men who led the operation to assassinate Hitler. The film also stars an acclaimed cast including Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann, Eddie Izzard, Christian Berkel and Terence Stamp.
A proud military man, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is a loyal officer who serves his country all the while hoping that someone will find a way to stop Hitler before Europe and Germany are destroyed. Realizing that time is running out, he decides that he must take action himself and joins the German resistance. Armed with a cunning strategy to use Hitler’s own emergency plan – known as Operation Valkyrie – these men plot to assassinate the dictator and overthrow his Nazi government from the inside. With everything in place, with the future of the world, the fate of millions and the lives of his wife and children hanging in the balance, von Stauffenberg is thrust from being one of many who oppose Hitler to the one who must kill Hitler himself.
“Valkyrie” opens to theaters on December 26th.
The final trailer for “Valkyrie” will premiere on Yahoo! Movies today around 8pm PST so watch for that!
