Peter Capaldi Is New 12th Doctor Who

The BBC finally announced the identity of the 12th actor to play Doctor Who during an agonizingly long live show tonight. As widely predicted veteran actor Peter Capaldi had landed the part. Capaldi, best know as the foul mouthed spin doctor Malcom Tucker on The Thick of It previously guest starred on an episode of the show, but will now take over from departing Star Matt Smith as the conic Time Lord Hero.

Matt Smith will exit the world’s longest running science fiction show during this years Christmas special, shortly after enjoying being part of the 50th anniversary episode. Let us know what you think about the news in the comments and as a bonus check out enjoy an interview below with the new Doctor at last years British Independent Film Awards:

Aaron Taylor-Johnson talks Avengers Quicksilver

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently in talks to play Quicksilver in Avengers sequel Avengers Age of Ultron. But he’s already been chatting to Empire Magazine about the potential superhero role.

“He has real anger frustration – I like that. I always thought it’d be quite funny if you saw him eating loads and people asked him why and he’d explain it’s because he’s burning so much energy all the time. Or ideas that you’d see him come back round – but he’s already nipped out and got his lunch somewhere else. He just got bored – his attention span is so fucking quick.”

As for what kind of performance fans could expect for the generally reserved actor, Taylor Johnson confirmed he feels inspired by the notoriously flamboyant actors he’d worked with on the Kick-Ass franchise:

“That’s what we’re in talks about really, right now – how I could become that character and not feel forced. I might not look right with white hair, and the accent may be wrong… it just doesn’t work like that. Unless you’re Jim Carrey or Nic Cage and go ‘This is the character’, people go ‘OK, OK. When people haven’t been shown your range like that, then they’re a bit more skeptical – they may not want you to push the boundaries in that way. But that’s what I’m interested in as an actor.”

As for where he’d look for inspiration for a potentially boundary pushing performance Taylor-Johnson explained:

“There’s years – over 50 years – of backstory on him [Quicksilver] all there to use, and I like doing that. Him and his sister [Scarlet Witch] have been abandoned by their parents and their father, and they grew up in Eastern Europe defending and looking out for themselves and each other. His sister really is his guidance – emotionally she’s the one who looks after him, and vice versa. He’s very overprotective physically – he doesn’t want anyone touching her.”

Warner Bros Still Planning Akira Remake

Hollywood studios have been struggling for decades with the ambition of making a live action adaptation of anime classic Akira. The original surreal sci-fi epic was one of the first films that introduced delighted/bemused western audiences to the genius/weirdness of Japanese animation.

Plans for a live action remake have consistently faltered thanks to a combination of concerns over casting, cultural translation and estimates of a potentially vast budget of nearly $100 million. The project has simply been deemed too expensive and risky.

Warner Bros finally had Director Jaume Collet-Serra attached to the project 18 months ago with a cast including Kristen Stewart, Ken Wantanabe and Garrett Hedlund. However, plans collapsed yet again over budget concerns.

Now the studio seems to be reviving the project, with Collet-Serra returning, allbeit with a more modest $60 million budget. It remains to be seen how much if any of the previous cast will be salvaged. But it’s probably safe to expect at least some of the marquee names associated with the project to be sacrificed to meet the restraints of the new tighter budget.

James Cameron Plans Three Avatar Sequels

James Cameron announced several years ago that he was abandoning all other film projects to focus on making Avatar sequels, declaring himself to be in the ‘Avatar business’ now. Proving good to his word he has now revealed plans to make three sequels to the highest grossing film of all time.

Screenwriter Josh Friedman is currently working with Cameron on Avatar 2, while Rick Jaffa , Amanda Silver and Shane Salerno are apparently taking responsibility for Avatar 3 and 4.

Sharing the news Cameron said:

“Building upon the world we created with Avatar has been a rare and incredibly rewarding experience.  In writing the new films, I’ve come to realise that Avatar’s world, story and characters have become even richer than I anticipated. It became apparent that two films would not be enough to capture everything I wanted to put on screen… to  help me continue to expand this universe, I’m pleased to bring aboard Amanda, Rick, Shane and Josh – all writers I’ve long admired -­ to join me in completing the films’ screenplays.”

It’s long been suggested that at least the first Avatar sequel would explore Pandora’s oceans, combining Cameron’s well documented love of aquatic adventures and giant blue CGI aliens.

Avatar 2 will arrive/swim into cinemas in December 2016 with the other sequels following each year after that. So at least now you know what James Cameron’s getting you for Christmas for the next few years.

Pacific Rim Breaks Box Office Record in China

Despite a lackluster box office performance in the USA, Pacific Rim has predictably performed far better internationally, particularly in the Asian markets where giant monster movies are more of a popular delicacy. Guillermo Del Toro’s robot action epic officially hauled in a record breaking $9million in China, making it Warner Bros biggest Chinese debut ever.

Guillermo Del Toro has already begun work on the script for a potential sequel, with ambitions for even bigger and more surreal monster fighting action. Fans will hope that with the film having already taken $227 million worldwide the studio will be able to look past low domestic numbers and find the confidence to green light a sequel.

Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters recently pulled off a similar magic act, managing to take in over $225 million worldwide after an embarrassing $50million domestic showing, securing an unlikely sequel in the process.

Video Interviews below with Guillermo Del Toro and cast on the red carpet at the Pacific Rim European Premiere: