Film News

After a seamless record of closing deals, Walt Disney Co. isn’t looking so lucky this time with the sale of Miramax Films. On July 30, Disney announced after months of reviewing bids, that it had sold Miramax to a group led by construction magnate Ron Tutor for $660 million and expected to close the acquisition between Sept. 10 and the end of the year. But it appears the deal is in more trouble than ever before. The bulk of the financing was to come from Tutor and his partners Colony Capital, and James Robinson, founder of Morgan Creek, and philanthropist Jerome Swartz. The rest, a reported $250-$275 million, would come from banks, including Comerica and Union. But first Robinson and apparently now Swartz have backed out of their commitments, at a time when the financing with the banks was still not finalized.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118023643.html?categoryId=18&cs=1

David Tennant’s re-interpretation of vamp-slaying showman Peter Vincent in the upcoming Fright Night remake has been revealed via a brand new banner for the film.

Gothed up to the nines, he almost looks like a new character from the latest Harry Potter flick – that bolt of mystical energy between his hands only adding to that feeling.

Clearly, the production has attempted a complete renovation of the '80s flick for this Vegas-set update, something screamingly obvious in the new-look Vincent. It's certainly a departure from Roddy McDowall's portrayal.

Is new better? The original still has a place in our hearts, but we’re intrigued to see what director Craig Gillespie and writer Marti Noxon will do with the property – especially considering that stunning cast, which includes Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Toni Collette and Colin Farrell.

The images below were snapped at the Hard Rock Cafe, where Fright Night is currently shooting, and are perhaps part of the film's set dressing…

Fright Night opens in cinemas next year.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is still shooting over in the glorious surrounds of Hawaii (grumble, grumble), which means a few on-set photos have sprung up online.

Most interesting is our first glimpse of Brit bloke Ian McShane in full pirate regalia as legendary crook Blackbeard.

The actor was on set shooting a scene with Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz for the fourquel, and looks mighty impressive from what we can tell.

Check out the image below…

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens in cinemas on 20 May, 2011.
 

Precious actress Paula Patton has signed on to play the lead female role in the new Mission: Impossible movie.

Having gone up against Lauren German and Kristin Kreuk for the part, Patton landed the role of a fresh operative who blasts firearms alongside Tom Cruise’s returning Ethan Hunt.

Other than that, details on the fourth impossible Mission are being kept in a vault guarded by giant lizard-skinned mutant panthers (or something), so all we’ve got so far are scraps.

What we do know is that the new film is being considered a “reboot” (are you really surprised?), and won’t have the number four attached to it anywhere.

It’ll be the live-action directing debut for Brad The Incredibles Bird, while J.J. Abrams is producing. In the cast department, Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg will both reprise their former roles, and Jeremy Renner has joined as a potential future replacement for Tom Cruise.

Mission: Impossible (yeah, we're confused already) will start filming this Autumn, and opens in cinemas on 16 December, 2011.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson. In the same film together. A zombie comedy produced by Diablo Cody. We think we’re hyperventilating with excitement…

Okay, we’ve calmed down now. Yes, Gordon-Levitt and Johansson could be about to sign on to a new film produced by cool-cat-of-the-moment Cody entitled Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament.

It’s based on the novel of the same name by S.G. Browne, a romantic comedy about dead guy Andy who is resurrected as a zombie. He then has to adapt to life as an Undead man in a society that hates him.

So, True Blood for zombies? Sounds like it. Don’t get too excited just yet, though, Pajiba report that the duo are currently just “loosely attached” to the project – which means they think it sounds as awesome as we do, but nothing’s been signed yet.

Still, this is a great set-up for both to sink their teeth into and, frankly, Gordon-Levitt is such a TF favourite that we’d watch his latest film even if it was just him in a room on his own with a ball of string.