Robert De Niro reveals future film plans
Robert De Niro has revealed that he is planning two sequels for ”The Good Shepherd,” his CIA drama.The original, which starred Matt Damon as a spy in the Cold War, grossed under $100 million in 2006.
Although the first was not a box office success, De Niro confirmed he is developing ideas for a second and third film.
He would like to make two sequels to CIA Cold War drama ”The Good Shepherd,” one bringing the action forward from 1961 to 1989, the other following its hero, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon), up to the present day.
Robert De Niro received a lifetime achievement award at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival on Friday, where his ”What Just Happened?” opened the festival, and discussed his plans for the future:
His long collaboration with Martin Scorsese which he ascribed to the fact it’s always been “a lot of fun to work” together should produce at least two more films, De Niro said.
He is already working on his next project with Scorsese, which he declined to detail, which should be ready by 2009, he said.
De Niro said he was “superstitious about talking about it.”
Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival last week, De Niro told that he may begin researching the projects while he is in Europe.
Talking about his co-star, Bruce Willis in his new film ”What Just Happened” he said:
“[He] had a real good sense of humour about himself.”
De Niro added his views to the debate over a possible strike by actors in Hollywood, coming down firmly against any work stoppage. He has opposed strike action over US film and television actors’ pay.
The Screen Actors Guild and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have yet to agree terms, with new media work a particular sticking point, despite a previous contract expiring at the end of last month.
“I do not think it is a good time to be striking,” said De Niro. “All the trade unions are affected by the strike. With the economy as it is at this time, it does not seem to be a great idea.”
Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley and Max von Sydow join ‘Shutter Island’
Max von Sydow, Emily Mortimer and Jackie Earle Haley have joined the cast of Martin Scorsese’s mystery drama ‘Shutter Island’ AKA ‘Ashecliffe’ which was adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from Dennis Lehane’s 2004 novel.
The film follows the story of Teddy (DiCaprio) and his partner (Ruffalo) who travel to Shutter Island to investigate the escape of Rachel Solando, a murderess, from the mental institution on the Island.
They then find themselves trapped on the island thanks to a pesky hurricane.
The three join Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams and Patricia Clarkson.
Von Sydow will play one of the hospital’s physicians, while Mortimer will play Rachel, an escaped hospital patient. Haley will play an inmate.
Production is set to begin on March 6.
Presenters At The Kodak Theatre
The strike is off and the star power is on for the 80th annual Academy Awards.
Presenters at the Kodak Theatre will include all four of last year’s winners in the acting categories - Alan Arkin, Jennifer Hudson, Helen Mirren and Forest Whitaker.
George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Cameron Diaz will be among the presenters at the Feb. 24 ceremony at the Kodak Theatre, Oscar officials announced Thursday.
Hollywood icons Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford, Martin Scorsese and Denzel Washington will also take to the stage, said telecast producer Gil Cates and film academy President Sid Ganis.
Other presenters named are Amy Adams, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Steve Carell, Penelope Cruz, Miley Cyrus, Patrick Dempsey, Cameron Diaz, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Katherine Heigl, Jonah Hill, Dwayne Johnson, James McAvoy, Queen Latifah, Seth Rogen, Martin Scorsese, Hilary Swank, John Travolta and Renee Zellweger.
Jon Stewart was previously announced as the show’s host.
This will mark Stewart’s second stint as Oscar host. Stewart hosted the Grammy Awards in 2001 and 2002.
“Jon was a terrific host for the 78th Awards,” said Cates. “He is smart, quick, funny, loves movies and is a great guy. What else could one ask for?” said producer Gil Cates.
The show will also feature performances of the year’s five nominated songs. ‘Enchanted’ star Amy Adams will sing ‘Happy Working Song’, one of the film’s three nominated tunes. Kristin Chenoweth and Marlon Saunders will perform ‘That’s How You Know’, and Jon McLaughlin will sing ‘So Close’, also from ‘Enchanted’.
The stars of Once, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, will perform their song ‘Falling Slowly’. Jamia Simone Nash, along with the IMPACT repertory Theatre of Harlem, will sing ‘Raise It Up’ from August Rush.
Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’ Renamed
It’ll now be known as ‘Ashecliffe’. That’s the new name for Martin Scorsese’s next, according to The Boston Herald.
The film which was formerly known as ‘Shutter Island’ is based on Dennis Lehane’s novel, set in 1954, about a US Marshall (Leonardo DiCaprio) investigating the escape of a murderess who is presumed to be hiding on Shutter Island. Ashecliffe is the name of the mental facility.
Harvey Keitel, Martin Scorsese reteam for ‘Chaos’
Harvey Keitel and Martin Scorsese are reteaming on the Daphna Kastner-helmed film ‘Chaos’. Keitel is producing the New York-set drama, while Scorsese exec produces.
Daphna Kastner (’Spanish Fly’) also penned the screenplay, which revolves around two lovelorn people whose lives intersect in the city.
Michael Cerenzie (’Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead’) and Christine Peters (’How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’) are also producing through their Paramount-based banner, CP Prods. Cerenzie worked with Scorsese on 2002’s ’Deuces Wild.’
’Marty, Harvey, Christine and I all share a tremendous passion for Daphna Kastner’s original script and a strong belief in her talent as a filmmaker,’ Michael Cerenzie said.
’Chaos’ is out to actors and is scheduled to shoot in Gotham prior to the June 30 expiration of SAG’s contract.
Martin Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’
With Michael Mann set to work with Johnny Depp in ‘Public Enemies’, Peter Jackson bringing us ‘The Lovely Bones’ and Martin Scorsese putting together ‘Shutter Island’ we know there will be at least a few high-profile films worth keeping an eye on in 2008 and Marty continues to add names to Shutter’s cast. The latest name joining the feature adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel is Michelle Williams. She joins Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley in the drama revolving around the trip made by U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) to a remote New England island in 1954 to figure out how a multiple murderess escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane.
Williams, will play the wife of Teddy Daniels, a US Marshall which will be played by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film follows the story of Teddy and his partner who travel to Shutter Island to investigate the escape of Rachel Solando, a murderess, from the mental institution on the Island. They then find themselves trapped on the island thanks to a pesky hurricane. Teddy, already racked with guilt about the recent death of his wife, begins to fall apart when the man who killed his wife is in the very mental institution that he’s investigating. So, if Teddy’s wife is dead it could be possible that William’s character will appear in the movie in flashback sequences.
