50/50 is not the first film to tackle terminal or potentially fatal illness (not even this fall, as Gus Van Sant recently released Restless), but it might be the first of its kind in terms of the specific angle. Most Hollywood uses of serious illness can fall into three categories.
With a filmography that includes Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg has a reputation for big period pieces. He’s got War Horse out at the end of the year and Licoln next on his list, and if Warner Bros. has its way, he will be taking up the helm of another big epic in the near future.
With less than 10 minutes in the film, Rooney Mara was the emotional core of David Fincher’s The Social Network. It wasn’t surprising when the legendary director selected her to lead The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but the actress might climb even further.
Opponents of 3D, be ready to rejoice inside for a couple seconds. Sony has become the first studio to announce it will no longer do theaters the courtesy of providing funds for 3D glasses, which will pass that cost responsibility on to movie theaters.
Following a successful post-Avatar string of films, Aussie Sam Worthington plays the titular Man on a Ledge in our featured trailer this week, where a man dangles from a building, but perhaps with ulterior motives.
A sequel to 2008 suprise hit Wanted seemed highly likely for Universal at the time, and word soon after its success was that original scriptors Derek Haas and Michael Brandt had been asked to write it. After the project disappeared, three years later it appears as if the same pair are in fact still wanted.
Zombies continue to show little sign of slowing down. The video game Dead Island, having been released earlier this month to mixed reviews (but strong sales), is getting the big screen treatment. Lionsgate announced their acquisition of the game’s film rights earlier today in the following release.
London, UK, September 27, 2011– LIONSGATE® (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, today announced that it has optioned film rights from Deep Silver to develop a feature inspired by Dead Island, which became a viral media sensation when its haunting, artful trailer launched in February 2011. The announcement was made by Lionsgate’s co-COO and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake.
