Rio 2 Launches New Year In Brazil

Animated sequel Rio 2 helped welcome the New Year in the heart of Brazil, celebrating the end of 2013 and the exciting start of 2014. Check out some festive video highlights below, including the spectacular fireworks display and all the atmosphere of the world’s party capital.

Rio 2 soars into cinemas this April with returning stars Jesse EisenbergAnne Hathaway alongside newcomers Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth and Rita Moreno.  Rio 2 also features new Brazilian artists and original music by Janelle Monae and Wondaland.

Rio 2 finds lovebirds Blu and Jewel taking their three children back to the wilds of the Amazon for a family reunion. Out of his element in a land he doesn’t know, Blu must face his most fearsome adversary – his father in law – while evading Nigel’s fiendish plans for revenge.

Official Rio 2 Trailer Below: 

Fast & Furious 7 Release Date Confirmed

Vin Diesel has official confirmed the release date for delayed sequel Fast and Furious 7. The future of the high speed project had been thrown into some doubt by the tragic death of star Paul Walker, following a real life car crash.

Posting a picture of himself with Walker on his official Facebook page Vin Diesel added that the seventh instalment in the popular franchise will be released on 10th April 2015.

Commenting on the news Vin Diesel also added

“There was a unique sense of completion, of pride we shared… in the film we were now completing… the magic captured… and, in just how far we’ve come… P.s. He’d want you to know first.”

In related news Universal Pictures has also announced plan to donate some of the proceeds of DVD & Blu-Ray sales for Fast and Furious 6 to Paul Walker’s charity Reach Out Worldwide. 

The Grand Budapest Hotel Trailer

Here’s the first official trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel, the latest film from diligently quirky director Wes Anderson. Featuring a host of familiar faces the new film sees Ralph Fiennes playing a notorious Hotel Concierge who takes on a young protege whilst handling an increasingly madcap series of adventures.

Here’s what star Saoirse Ronan had to say about working with Wes Anderson:

Joaquin Phoenix Might be Lex Luthor

It’s reported that Joaquin Phoenix might be a surprise casting choice for Director Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel follow up. The sequel which already stars Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman is still looking for someone to play the villainous role of Lex Luthor.

Lex Luthor is the man of steel’s most iconic nemesis, with Gene Hackman and Kevin Spacey both playing the bald criminal genius in previous big screen efforts.  Phoenix would be a bold casting choice given his reputation for Oscar worthy performances and occasionally bizarre off screen antics.

Warner Bros have not yet made any official offer and it remains unclear whether the actor would even be willing to jump on board for a potential blockbuster comic book franchise. Phoenix is reportedly also currently contemplating accepting a lead a role in Gus Van Sant’s Sea of Trees.

Whatever happens, it probably won’t stop fans photo shopping pictures of Bryan Cranston’s bald Breaking Bad alter ego Walter White alongside Henry Cavill for fake Superman 2 posters.

Argo Writer Takes On Superman Sequel

Chris Terrio won an Oscar for providing the screenplay for Ben Affleck’s critically acclaimed Argo, now he will reportedly be re-writing the script for the Superman sequel that will introduce Ben Affleck as Batman.

David Goyer had previously produced a draft for Zack Snyder’s follow up to Man of Steel, but he has now moved on to writing an adaptation of Neil Gamman’s Sandman.  It’s believed Warner Bros will now replace that script with a new draft courtesy of Terrio.

Although Argo was Terrio’s debut feature screenplay, his academy award winning success and proven rapport with Ben Affleck seems to have given the studio confidence in overlooking his lack of blockbuster experience.

At least now they get to put ‘From the Oscar winning team that brought you Argo’ on all the posters, right below the big Superman & Batman logos.