Live Action Cinderella Film Loses Director

Mark Romanek will no longer be directing a live action version of Disney Classic Cinerella, having parted company with the project over reported creative differences. The film previously had a script in place courtesy of Chris Weitz and Aline Brosh McKenna, with Cate Blanchett attached to play Cinderella’s wicked step-mother.

The studio was reportedly unhappy with Romanek’s uncompromisingly dark vision of the familiar fairy tale but remain “committed to moving the project forward and have begun the search for a new director”.  It’s likely the new director will be encouraged to focus more on the feel-good whimsy of glass slippers, fairy godmothers and charming Princes.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joins Sin City 2

Much in demand star Joesph Gordon-Levitt has officially joined the cast film noir sequel Sin City: A Dame To Kill For, while turning down the opportunity to take the lead role of alien hero Star Lord in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

Explaining his decision to choose to work with Director Robert Rodriguiez on the second adaptation of Frank Miller’s iconic monochrome graphic novel series Joseph Gordon-Levitt said:

“I love how the first movie uses VFX, not to make fake things look real, but to create a heightened world unburdened by the look and feel of reality. Plus, nobody makes a badass like Mr. Rodriguez.”

Gordon-Levitt will be playing a new character specifically created for the film, with the part originally intended for Johnny Depp. The character, still called Johnny,  is a cocky gambler harboring a grudge against a sworn enemy. As one of the films key roles Gordon-Levitt’s character will bind together the various strands of Sin City’s complicated interwoven plot.

Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen and Rosario Dawson are also set to star with the film due to finally hit cinemas in the US on 4 October 2013. A UK release date is yet to be confirmed.

Guillermo Del Toro Turns Down Star Wars

Director Guillermo Del Toro has revealed that he recently turned down an approach from Disney to be considered for directing Star Wars Episode VII the first film in the studios newly acquired franchise.

“We got one phone call to my agent saying, ‘Is Guillermo interested?’ And basically I have so much stuff already of my own, and I’m pursuing stuff that I’m generating already… It was very flattering. It was just a phone call, it didn’t go past that, it was very nice to be asked, but believe it or not, I’m busy enough.”

Del Toro is much in demand as always and has a seemingly endless list of projects in various stages of development or production. Recent reports and announcements have him directing a remake of The Haunted Mansion, a stop-motion animated Pinocchio, a new Incredible Hulk TV series, a possible third Hellboy film and an expensive adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft classic At The Mountains of Madness.  His much anticipated giant monster film Pacific Rim will be released  later this summer, with a sequel already being planned.

While fans may be disappointed to see him out of the running for Star Wars Del Toro has his own views on who should take over responsibility for the iconic George Lucas space saga:

 “I think the fans deserve somebody that is just going to immerse themselves completely. As a geek, I would have loved to see Brad Bird take it.”

Sacha Baron Cohen Explains Django Exit

Sacha Baron Cohen was one of a number of high profile stars who dropped out of being involved in Quentin Tarantino’s new Western Django Unchained. At the time speculation was rife that some stars may have been jumping ship due to concerns over potential controversy caused by applying Tarantino’s trademark bloody violence to the sensitive historical subject matter of slavery.

But speaking recently Sacha Baron Cohen has explained that his decision to give up his cameo in the tale of freed slave revenge was simply due to his increasing hectic schedule.

“I was editing  The Dictator and we were very close to release and Paramount wouldn’t push the date and then I knew I’d have to jump straight from there into Les Mis and it basically became a choice of either pulling out of Les Mis or pulling out of Django. I’m sure Django is an incredible movie, but it was essentially one scene.”

The scene in question which isn’t in the final film would have dealt with how Broomhilda (Django’s wife) falls into the clutches of the evil plantation owner Calvin Candie(played by Leonardo DiCaprio. As Sacha Baron Cohen explains.

“It was a character by the name of Scotty, whom Leonardo DiCaprio’s character plays a poker game with, the stakes become Scotty’s slave girl, Broomhilda.”

Django Unchained premiere’s in the UK on 10th January and arrives in cinemas nationwide on 18th January. Check back soon for red carpet coverage and a full review.

New Godzilla Film Gets Another Rewrite

Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont is providing Legendary Pictures with a final rewrite of the script for their new Godzilla film. Darabont has previously written screenplays for classic monster films like The Blob, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 and Frankenstein.

The long delayed project already has a script produced by the various efforts of Max Borenstein, Dave Callaham, David S. Goyer and Drew Pearce. Monsters Director Gareth Edwards remains attached to the project despite the studios constant script tinkering.

The long and uncertain pre-production has had many fans questioning the studio’s commitment to the project. With many suggesting that perhaps a potentially demanding budget and the unwelcome memory of Roland Emmerich’s 1998 blockbuster version was causing the studio to lose faith in the project.

Officially the release date remains set for 16 May 2014, with production set to finally begin in March to meet that schedule.