In an official press release, Universal has announced its two leads in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s film adaptation of the page-turning lady-pleaser Fifty Shades of Grey. Pacific Rim‘s Charlie Hunnam will star as ridiculously good-looking business magnate Christian Grey while Dakota Johnson (TV’s Ben and Kate) will star as sweet-natured literary student Anastasia Steele, playing alongside Hunnam. Why Hunnam, you say? We’ve pictured six reasons above.
Hayao Miyazaki Retires from Film
Studio Ghibli president Hoshino Koji announced at the Venice Film Festival that Hayao Miyazaki will retire from filmmaking at age 72, with The Wind Rises being (most likely) his last feature. The Japanese storytelling guru has written, directed and produced some of the most beloved animated features of all time, including Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbour Totoro, Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle and 2001’s Oscar-winning Spirited Away. As far as we’re concerned, the man stands alongside Walt Disney as a grandmaster of the art form.
Things that might (not) happen
Benedict Cumberbatch might be in J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars sequels. We know, we know, rumours like these are haemorrhaging out of Disney’s upcoming Episode VII, but Film Chronicles swears it’s true.
A good example of a rumour that just got crushed would be the one where Bryan Cranston was supposedly set to play Lex Luthor in the Man of Steel follow-up. When asked about the alleged six-picture deal during a chat session with The Boston Globe, Cranston replied “Six? This is all news to me.”
Venice buzz
In competition this year at the Venice Film Festival is UK drama Philomena, directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen) starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan (who also wrote the screenplay). According to Deadline, the film’s debut was met with “laughs, tears and lots of applause – the latter both during and after the film.” We’re sold. The film is due in cinemas Boxing Day.
More astonishingly, people love Nicolas Cage again. Joe, directed by David Gordon Green (Prince Avalanche, Pineapple Express), is a serious drama starring the Cage-ster in the titular role – one that has earned him the praise of many a critic. (via Deadline)
Telluride buzz
The exhaustively researched documentary Salinger, based on the reclusive and troubled author of The Catcher in the Rye, had a very receptive World Premiere at Telluride, described as a “riveting and stunning portrait.” The best part is that you won’t have to wait that long to see it; the movie comes out this Friday.
Gravity continues to kick critical ass in Telluride. As an added bonus, before each screening of Alfonso Cuaron’s space drama, Disney played their new Mickey Mouse animated short Get A Horse!. The black-and-white 3D CGI hybrid of the 1928 cartoon “has to be seen to be believed” according to Deadline. Get A Horse! will play before Disney’s upcoming feature Frozen, which comes out Boxing Day.
Meanwhile, Denis Villenueve’s (Incendies) drama Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, crept up to deliver a sucker punch of tension that had critics yelling “Oscar! Oscar!” The film is due out on October 17.
NSFW Teaser: Under the Skin
Scarlett Johansson is a deadly promiscuous alien in this sci-fi creeper written and directed by Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast). Having recently played in Venice and Telluride, a NSFW teaser trailer has made its way online. Bleeding Cool described it as “reminiscent of the opening of the recent Maniac“ containing “incredibly striking imagery” that was “highly effective.” Check it out:
